Opportunities Weekly: Y Combinator funding cycle and more opportunities are closing soon, take prompt action

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September 27, 2017
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5 min read

Opportunities ranging from acceleration programmes to funding for entrepreneurs are available this week. Some are closing very soon, so be swift about taking necessary action.

Digital Africa startup challenge 2018

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Photo Credit: homethods Flickr via Compfight cc

If you are engaged in an entrepreneurial adventure, have created an innovative product or service in response to the major challenges of African economies or you want to contribute to the digital transition of Africa in a dynamic of open innovation and common good, you can make your innovation known, accelerate your growth and increase your impact with the Digital Africa startup challenge 2018. The program promises network, support and acceleration to selected entrepreneurs.

For more information and to apply for this challenge, head to the website.

Diamond Bet Season 7 (Closing in 2 days)

Diamond bank opportunities for entrepreneurs

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Diamond Bank in collaboration with Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of the Pan Atlantic University unveils the start of the DIAMOND BET season 7, with business/entrepreneurial training for 50 entrepreneurs and a ₦3, 000,000 grant for the top 5 businesses after the six months training. The programme is aimed to inspire, encourage and support budding entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

How to apply

Visit the online platform to begin your application immediately. Applications are opened from now till September 29, 2017.

Google Research Awards in Sciences & Engineering 2018 (Closing in 3 days)

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Committed to developing new technologies, Google helps their users find and use information while we doing significant in-house research and engineering. Google also maintains strong ties with academic institutions worldwide pursuing innovative research in core areas relevant to our products and services. As part of that vision, the Google Faculty Research Awards Programme aims to recognize and support world-class, permanent faculty pursuing cutting-edge research in areas of mutual interest.

The goal is to identify and strengthen long-term collaborative relationships with faculty working on problems that will impact how future generations use technology. Google Faculty Research Awards are structured as seed funding (up to $150,000) to support one graduate student for one year and are awarded as an unrestricted gift. The award is highly competitive – only 15% of applicants receive funding – and each proposal goes through a rigorous Google-wide review process.

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How to apply

It is very mandatory that applicants adhere to the given rules and regulations before sending in their proposals. You may proceed to the application page. Deadline is  September 30th, 2017.

Y Combinator Winter 2018 funding cycle (Closing in 6 days)

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Y Combinator is accepting applications for the winter 2018 3-months funding cycle taking place in Mountain View, California from January to March 2018. During and after the 3 months Y Combinator will introduce startups individually to people who could help them. Benefits of the programme include; network expansion, investments, funding rounds, dinner meetings.

How  to apply

You may proceed to the website to apply. Deadline for application is October 3, 2017.

Obama Foundation Fellowship Programme (Closing soon)

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The Obama Foundation Fellowship programme seeks to support outstanding civic innovators from around the world in order to amplify the impact of their work and to inspire a wave of civic innovation. The two-year, non-residential Fellowship will offer hands-on training, resources, and leadership development. Fellows will also participate in four multi-day gatherings where they will collaborate with each other, connect with potential partners, and collectively push their work forward. The first fellowship gathering will hold in April  2018.

How to apply

You may commence your application process online. Deadline is on Friday, October 6, 2017.

Microsoft “Dream, Build, Play” Contest for Game Developers 2017

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The Dream.Build.Play 2017 Challenge is pushing game makers to maximise their creativity and create experiences that engage gamers from across the world. This competition is open to all creators, working solo or in teams of up to seven. Create a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) game for one of the categories below by December 31, 2017, and you’ll have a chance to win cash prizes and share your game with the world.

To participate, entries must fall in one or more of these categories:

  • Cloud-powered game ($100,000)
  • PC game ($50,000)
  • Mixed reality game ($50,000)
  • Console game ($25,000)

For more information on eligibility and to apply, visit the website immediately. Registration ends December 31, 2017.

AfricaConnekt Competition

competition

AfricaConnekt.org is an innovation platform that gives young African entrepreneurs a space to share their ideas, collaborate with their peers, and receive mentoring. The second AfricaConnekt.org Competition is now on, and your company could win funding. All you have to do to enter the competition is create an account, submit a video explaining your business or idea.

How  to apply

Visit the online platform to apply.

Y Her Accelerator programme ($50,000 funding)

Womens Venture Xchange Africa

It is obvious that more women are pursuing entrepreneurship in Africa than anywhere else in the world. This is what inspired Spark* to embark on a journey to bring together and support female entrepreneurs on the African continent. The Y Her Accelerator programme will span from Saturday, 11 November – Friday, 17 November 2017 at Johannesburg, South Africa.

Benefits

  • Mentorship
  • Opportunity to connect with investors
  • A total of $50,000 in funding
  • Potential to qualify for growth support to help scale your venture and more

Eligibility

  • Female-Led Ventures: You must have at least one female co-founder who will participate in the programme.
  • Local: You intimately understand the problem that you are trying to solve.
  • Support Women and Girls: Your venture must exist to improve the lives of women and girls who are held back by poverty.
  • In the Early Stages: You will have already launched a venture or at least run a pilot and have some early traction or proof of concept. You will typically have less than 100 customers and have been in operation less than two years.

How to apply

If you are a female founder, you may commence your application at the website.


Editor’s note: Are you launching any opportunities? Tell us about it by filling this form.

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