Deadline: 2 September 2024
Are you running a tech start-up with a positive impact for agriculture, livestock, food or climate in Africa? Do you need support to raise investment, reach more customers and increase your impact? Then this free investment readiness programme is for you!
The SAIS Investment Readiness Programme (IRP) offers a year-long, tailor-made company development programme for African tech start-ups in agriculture, livestock, food, and climate. The IRP – available in French and English – aims to support you to raise investments and scale up your business!
What they offer?
- Selected start-ups receive services worth up to 35,000 EUR including:
- Mentorship and coaching with local and international experts tailored to your specific needs to develop and implement strategies for rapid growth.
- Additional services & technical resources to optimise certain key areas of your business, e.g. legal advice, online marketing, digital product optimization, design, and coding.
- Individual trainings, e.g. pitch training, growth strategy, data analytics & management, term sheet, valuation, market analysis, marketing & sales.
- Investment and partnership facilitation, e.g. guidance on fundraising strategy, preparation of fundraising rounds, support for due-diligence processes, introduction to investors & funds.
- Networking and showcasing opportunities at two in-person community events scheduled back-to-back with the Africa Tech Summit in Nairobi, and one additional sector conference (travel costs for one representative from each start-up are covered by the programme).
- Community exchanges and peer-learning, e.g. virtual group trainings and workshops, company visits, deal rooms, topical exchanges and inputs from external speakers and guests.
- Add-ons on an as-needed basis:
- Programme for Female Leaders: networking, peer-to-peer learning and increased visibility for female founders and women in leading positions.
- Cash2Start-ups: access to working capital loans of up to 50,000 EUR for up to 9 months, designed to support your growth.
- Digital Agency Support: targeted technical assistance to start-ups to work on their digital components and become more data driven.
Who can apply?
- To be eligible for the programme, your company must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Be registered in Africa
- Be for-profit
- Have a minimum viable product
- Have a digital or tech-enabled solution for the agriculture, food or livestock value chain
- Have a management team of at least two people
- Have evidence of traction (paying customers, first revenue)
- Contribute to climate change adaptation, income generation and/or food & nutrition security.
For more information, visit SAIS.
