Exciting opportunities are here again at your fingertips. They include funding programmes for entrepreneurs, competition, and training. Browse through them and take necessary action.
KickStart programme Season 3
The KickStart programme is one major initiative aimed at turning around the lives of youths in the area and improve the economic prosperity of the South West. Season 2 saw the emergence of 24 lucky finalists who got grants to kickStart their businesses to the tune of ₦500,000 to ₦1,800,000. These businesses cut across some notable economic providers like Agriculture, Food production, Fashion and Design, Arts and Entertainment, Education and much more.
Season 3.0 is here and promises to be bigger than any of the previous seasons of the program.
Criteria
- The competition is open ONLY to South Westerners of 18 to 35 years who live or have their business within the South Western region.
- Applicants must be at least 18 and at most 35 years with valid identification (e.g National I.D; Drivers Licence; International Passport; Voters Registration, etc.) as at the last day of the application period.
- He or she must be willing to operate the business on a full-time basis.
- Have an innovative business idea in need of a start-up capital.
- Or already have existing small businesses needing capital to expand operations.
- Energetic and entrepreneurial in approach.
- Must be able to read and write.
How to apply
Interested entrepreneurs are to visit the website to commence application. Deadline is November 6, 2016.
EU-Africa Business Forum
The European Commission is covering the travel and accommodation cost of 50 EU and 50 African based digital entrepreneurs (max. 2 persons per startup) to showcase their services and technology during the 6th EU-Africa Business Forum, taking place on November 27 at Abidjan. They will have the opportunity to showcase their services and technology to investors and decision makers during a Startup Fair and attend a number of side events dedicated to entrepreneurship, digital economy, energy, and agriculture.
You may visit the website to apply. Deadline is October 25, 2017.
Wiki Loves Africa 2017 (Photo Contest)
Wiki Loves Africa is an annual contest where anyone across Africa can contribute media relating to that year’s theme to Wikimedia Commons for use on Wikipedia and other project websites of the Wikimedia Foundation. Wiki Loves Africa encourages participants to contribute media (photographs, video, and audio) that illustrate the specific theme for that year.
Each year the theme changes and is chosen by the community from universal, visually-rich and culturally-specific topics (for example, markets, rites of passage, festivals, public art, cuisine, natural history, urbanity, daily life, notable persons, etc). The competition, which began on October 1, 2017, will last through November 30, 2017.
Cash prizes
- 1st prize: $600
- 2nd prize: $400
- 3rd prize: $200
- Organiser prize: $200
- Photo Essay Prizes: Women Working ($200)
- Photo Essay prizes: Rare, Fading or Threatened Traditional Craft, Style or Way of Working ($200)
How to apply
To participate in this competition and see examples of what’s expected, visit the website immediately.
Andela Learning Community (ALC 2.0)
In partnership with Google, Andela is calling on interested participants for its learning community. The free programme gives individuals the opportunity to learn Android/web development or product design either as a beginner or an intermediate. The programme, set to commence on November 25, will be conducted online with optional in-person meetups.
How to apply
Anyone in Nigeria or Kenya over the age of 13 (with or without prior programming experience) could visit the website to commence application process. Deadline is October 21, 2017.
Digital Africa startup challenge 2018
For more information and to apply for this challenge, head to the website.
AfricaConnekt 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.
Microsoft “Dream, Build, Play” Contest for Game Developers 2017
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.
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