Application Deadline: Ongoing

The GEC+Africa entrepreneurship regional pitching competitions aim to bring in startups and SMMEs from across the continent to showcase their businesses. This will be an opportunity to highlight Africa’s innovative startups / SMMEs and a platform to strengthen each country’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Applications will be open to tech startups at pre-seed or seed stage with at least a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and non-tech startups or SMMEs that are post revenue. Successful applicants will be invited to participate in a bootcamp which will be in preparation ahead of the pitching competitions taking place in their respective countries.

The GEC+ Cape Town adjudicators will select a total of 10 winners from the road shows who will have an opportunity to travel to Cape Town, South Africa, where GEC+ Cape Town will take place. The final pitch will have an audience consisting of investors and Entrepreneur Support Organisations from all over the continent. The top 3 winners will share a prize of $50 000 and will have an opportunity to join an accelerator programme post the congress.

Rest of Africa

• Algiers: 9-10 July
• Cairo: 12-13 July
• Gaborone: 13-14 July
• Accra: 19-20 July
• Lagos: 25-26 July
• Nairobi: 1-2 August
• Windhoek: 8-9 August

South Africa

• Eastern Cape: 2-3 October
• Kwa-Zulu Natal: 5-6 October
• Mpumalanga: 9-10 October
• North West: 16-17 October
• Limpopo: 19-20 October
• Northern Cape: 23-24 October
• Free State: 30-31 October
• Gauteng: 2-3 November
• Western Cape: 7-8 November

Assessment Criteria

Applicants whose pitch decks are deemed suitable will be invited to pitch to judges during the lead up activity.

The below criteria will serve as a broad guideline in assessing the applicants when they present their businesses to the adjudicators:

1.The Problem Statement: has the entrepreneur(s) clearly identified the problem they are looking to solve and who this problem affects? Is the problem big enough i.e., does it point to a sizeable growing target market?
2.Value Proposition: Is the proposed solution distinct from the current solutions in the market? Does it have a clear competitive advantage?
3.The Business Case: Is the business model viable in how it intends to make money alongside its value proposition? Is this business model sustainable? Does the business have a clear strategy?
4.Team Composition: Is the team skilled and capable enough of executing on the product/service delivery and its business model?
5.The Minimum Viable Product: How effectively does the MVP showcase the value proposition? Does the MVP provide a robust foundation for further development and scaling?
6.Overall Quality of the Pitch: Was a pitch deck submitted? Was the entrepreneur prepared in their presentation and in answering questions?

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the GEC+Africa Regional Pitching Competition Programme 2024