2015 African Rethink Awards for Innovative Startups across Africa (25,000 Euros Prize plus Fully Funded Trip to Paris,France)

Application Deadline: October 11th 2015

• 100 African or from African diasporas innovative startups are invited to Paris from the 2nd to the 11th of December 2015!
• Round trip plane tickets will be offered to final candidates in Africa.

For the 1st edition of the Land of African Business, a unique place on the fringes of COP21 for new encounters and for the exchange of African and international entrepreneurs’ Best Practices, The Planet workshops will host the African Rethink Awards ceremony on December, 11th 2015 at the Hotel de l’Industrie, Paris.

The ambition which led to the creation of these awards is to identify, analyze, favor and promote the development of young entrepreneurs’ startups, may they be African or from the African diaspora, whose actions try to respond efficiently to the issues related to societal, economic, social and environmental development in Africa.

Eligibility:

The African Rethink Awards are open to any startup matching the following criteria:
– To have been existing for less than two years;
– To be carried by a less than 30 year-old entrepreneur from Africa or from the African diaspora;
– To implement a CSR policy;
– To have a products/services performance;
– To have an innovative products/services.

Awards:

• In this regard, 100 shortlisted startups will be invited to present the vision behind their enterprises, during the 9 days of the Land of African Business, and its highlight: the African Rethink Awards ceremony.
• During 9 days, 100 shortlisted startups – may they be African or from the African diasporas – will be invited to present the vision behind their enterprises, on the fringes of an unprecedented event, during which major political and economic decision-makers from all around the world will gather in Paris.
• This will be punctuated by many conferences, debates, one-on-one meetings and side-events.

The highlight of these 9 days in Paris will be the prize-giving of 3 distinctive awards –

• The Grand Prize, whose Laureate will be awarded €10.000;
• The Diaspora Award, whose Laureate will be awarded €5.000; and
• The Award for Women’s Entrepreneurship, whose Laureate will be awarded €5.000 – to support the winning startups and give them a well-deserved visibility.

Benefits:

Every shortlisted startup will be offered:

• Its transport fees;
• The possibility to present its business plan during the Business Innovation Place of the LAB;
• A free and complete access to the LAB sessions from the 2nd to the 11th of December 2015;
• The possibility to meet all the partners and participants of the LAB and to exchange with them during these 9 days.
• The African Rethink Awards will be given during the LAB closing ceremony on December 11th at the Hotel de l’Industrie, Paris.

Award Endowment:
For the Laureates of every category:
– A financial allocation;
– A 10-day tutoring in Paris, taught by an academic institution first.
For the 2nd Laureates of every category:
– A 10-day tutoring in Paris, taught by an academic institution first.
For the 3rd Laureates of every category:
– A 5-day tutoring in Paris, taught by an academic institution first.
For every Laureate of the ARAs:
– Visibility on the LAB communication channels;
– Interviews/Portraits dedicated to the laureates, published and broadcasted by the media partners – Canal+, Jeune Afrique, etc.

Selection Process:

Applications will be evaluated by the ARA jury according to the following criteria:
– The sustainability and financial viability of the startup;
– The pertinence and opportune timing of the business model;
– The capacity and potential to further develop in the future;
– The social, societal and environmental values of the startup, and their integration in the business
model;
– The exemplarity of the startup;
– The startup’s originality on economic, technologic, social and environmental levels.

Application Process:

Submission of applications

1. Download the application form
2. Fill it in French or in English
3. Send your application form, containing both your application and your startup business plan to [email protected], and write in the subject line of your e-mail: Application LAB/ARA – « your startup name ». Though optional, any introduction video of your startup will be welcomed.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the 2015 African Rethink Awards for Innovative Startups