The Make-IT Accelerator is inviting applications from different startups and entrepreneurs for a 3month of cohort-based training and capacity development for growth.
Organizers will provide entrepreneurs with the skills to scale their innovation and achieve growth, cooperation and investment readiness.
For participants the program is free of charge, but it requires a strong commitment and willingness to engage in the program’s activities.
“The 3 months of cohort-based training and capacity development for growth, including individualized needs assessments, scaling plans, and regular meetings with experienced acceleration managers to help start-ups develop and improve their business,” organizers said.
The 3 months of training will prepare the startups to get ready for B2B cooperation, including individual support, access to B2B matchmaking events with major international corporates and access to the Make-IT mentor pool.
As well as support from finance and investment experts, who will help the start-ups to achieve investment readiness, by preparing them to negotiate investment deals and provide pitch training for a final Demo Day in Lagos and Nairobi.
For each of the three modules we will provide several exposure opportunities, such as pitch events (e.g. Sankalp 2018), start-up fairs (e.g. CeBIT 2018), exposure journeys and B2B matchmaking.
Criteria and selection
We will support 30 select start-ups in our first intake. A second intake will follow in the first half of 2018.
Criteria Include:
- For profit
- Registered business in an African country
- A team of at least two people
- In operation for at least one full year
- Running digital product or service on the market (software or hardware)
- Evidence of revenue
- Potential to scale
- A business model with a social Impact in the verticals of: e-agriculture, energy/renewables, e-health.
A team of highly qualified experts, comprising entrepreneurs, industry experts, investor and corporate representatives, and our program team, will carefully review and score the applications of each start-up along our selection criteria.
Key Details
Application deadline – October 27
Announcement and invitation of pre-selected top startups - November 10
Final Selection Round in Lagos (Nigeria) – November 20-24
Final Selection Round in Nairobi (Kenya) – December 4-8
Start of the Make-IT Accelerator – January 2018
Inspire Module – January – March 2018
Connect Module – April – June 2018
Develop Module – June – August 2018
Closing event of the Make-IT Accelerator – August/September 2018