Orange Social Venture Prize 2017 for Innovative Startups in Africa and Middle East (50,000 Euros in Prizes)

Application Deadline: June 2017 21:00 GMT

The Orange Social Venture Prize 2017 contest aims to reward the best innovative and socially responsible business project in Africa and the Middle East. This 7th edition unfolds in two phases: first the candidates participate to a national competition, then an international jury gives a grand prize to the best national winners. Each time, the viewers of this site have a chance to add a name to the shortlist through a voting process.

The Orange Social Venture Prize aims to promote social innovation by supporting development through information and communication technologies (ICT). In addition to funding of up to 25,000 euros, Orange will provide support to the three winners of the Grand Prize for six months from business and telecoms professionals.

As in previous years, the OSVPAM will be awarded to innovative projects which make use of information and communication technologies to improve living conditions for the peoples of Africa and the Middle East in fields such as health, finance, education and agriculture.

New for this 7th edition, the competition will start with a national phase during which each of Orange’s 17 participating subsidiaries will examine projects submitted in its country and will designate three winners. The next phase will be an international one in which the winners of each country – 51 in all – will compete before an international panel of judges for the OSVPAM Grand Prize, with three winners receiving their awards during the AfricaCom Awards Ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa, on 8 November 2017.

Eligibility Requirements:

Benefits

• In addition to national prizes, the three international winners will receive 25,000 euros, 15,000 euros and 10,000 euros respectively, along with support from professionals in start-up creation and funding.

• 1st prize: the payment of an amount of €25, 000 (twenty-five thousand euros)
• 2nd prize: the payment of an amount of €15,000 (fifteen thousand euros)
• 3rd prize: the payment of an amount of €10, 000 (ten thousand euros).
• Furthermore, accompaniment will be proposed to the 3 international Grand-Prix winners in the form of monthly telephone meetings during which the winners will present a progress report.
• They will thus benefit from advice given by young company creation and financing professionals. This accompaniment will be proposed to the 3 international Grand-Prix winners during the six (6) months following attribution of the awards.
• For the national prize, each subsidiary of Orange will offer lots and / or accompaniment specific to the country.

Selection Criteria:

• The social and/ or environmental impact; the Projects will be evaluated according to the significance of their social and/or environmental impact (number of jobs created, effects on health, education, energy needs, etc.).
• The degree of innovation provided in the use of digital communications resource (landline or mobile telecommunications) to enable the product or service to be launched.
• The possibility of extending distribution of the product to several countries.
• The financial viability of the project by succeeding in self-financing the project at the end of its launch period.
• The realistic and operational character of the project (motivation of the team, contacts with the partners of the project, etc.)

Timeline:

• Registration: February 28th – June 6th 2017
• National Vote: July 7th – July 17th 2017
• International Vote – September 25th – October 3rd 2017

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Orange Social Venture Prize 2017