Seedstars Accra 2017 Is On, Better Than Before

With the support of the local host Impact Hub Accra, Seedstars World will be holding a dynamic pitch event on the 1st of September. Seedstars has a mission to place the spotlight on entrepreneurs from emerging markets and Ghana is one of 75 countries which is part of Seedstars’ locations for this year. The startups which will pitch will have an opportunity to win up to USD 1,000,000 in investment and other prizes, and network with investors and mentors from around the world.

As always, the companies selected to pitch at the Seedstars Accra event need to be less than 2 years old, have raised less than USD 500,000 in funding and have built a minimum viable product, ideally with existing traction. This year, there’s a new criterion — the startup’s regional and global scalability. With a strong network of international partners such as BBVA, Merck, Enel, Orange, Trecc and Standard Bank, Seedstars World is looking for smart startups that solve regional issues and develop profitable products for the global market.

“As this will be our 3rd time organizing the event in Accra, our excitement level and expectations are high. The winner from last year, Chalkboard Education, which is a mobile application for e-learning that works on all phones & without the Internet, did an amazing job during the summit and continues to expand its business in ghana and other neighboring countries.” Explains Anis Kallel, Associate for Africa at Seedstars World. “We are impressed by what we have seen in the continent so far, and cannot wait to add startups from Ghana on our map.”

To be more specific, the Chalkboard team has raised extra funding through their partnership with the Jacobs Foundation, a €200, 000-round announced about 2 months ago, to help them expand.

Up to 10 of the best seed stage startups in Ghana will be invited to pitch for the opportunity to compete at the Seedstars Summit, that annually takes place in Switzerland. At the same time, Seedstars World is also working very closely with Enel Green Power to source the most innovative business models in the energy sectors and ones that are fostering socio-economic development in rural villages in Africa. Up to 5 best startups in this sector will be invited for an exclusive RES4Africa networking event taking place later this November in Nairobi and compete for an Africa Energy Prize which consists of a financial contribution and a three-month acceleration programme for a total value of up to 50,000 USD.

On a regional level, Seedstars is also partnered with the Merck Accelerator, in order to support seed-stage companies in Ghana, and across Asia and Africa with a focus on the fields of healthcare, life science and performance materials. The most promising HealthTech startups will receive office space in the Merck Innovation Center in Kenya or Germany, mentoring and coaching on a regular basis and financial support of up to €50,000. And if you’re conversant with Impact Hub Accra, you’ll know of their partnership with Merck, hosting a hackathon, health meetups, etc.

Some of the past winners of Seedstars Accra are Asoriba, Retail Tower, Kitiwa and of course Chalkboard Education. For startups who want to apply, the past winners list and their feat may be good encouragement to join this year.

Applications for Seedstars Accra are open now, and startups can apply here: https://seedsta.rs/accra2017

Originally published at gharage.