Pitch AgriHack competition 2019 for young entrepreneurs

 

The competition is open to both male and female founders of digital start-ups owners of platforms (apps, hardware devices using software, etc.) facilitating the delivery of digital services to the agricultural sector. Applicants need to be nationals and residents of any African country (Central Africa, Eastern Africa, North Africa to Southern Africa, West Africa), and nationals and residents of Caribbean and Pacific signatories of the Cotonou Agreement between EU and ACP countries.  The list of eligible countries can be check in the Rules. 50% of finalists will be women founders. Applicants must be aged between 18 and 35 years old.

The final will be held during the 2019 edition of the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF 2019), organised by AGRA and other partners, in Ghana in September 2019.

Pitch AgriHack 2019 involves:

• a competition followed by a pitching session in Accra
• a partnership and investment readiness training boot camp for finalist start-ups;
• grants and facilitation of access to investments, capacity building and promotional opportunities.

Categories

• Early stage platform

Digital services that can be submitted in this category include services enabled by platforms that are at early stage and are generating revenues between 0 and 20,000 euros annually. These include prototypes with functional features that demonstrate a good potential for success.

At least two winners will be awarded in this category.

• Mature platform

Digital services that can be submitted in this category include services enabled by platforms that are at a more advanced stage and are generating revenues above 20,000 euros annually. At least two winners will be awarded in this category.

• Special prizes

Four special prizes are planned.

a) Data analytics services

This prize will be awarded to the best platform that innovatively deploys  agricultural data analytics, offering added value to customers. Candidates to this award will have to demonstrate how their platform achieves this.

b) Public choice

This prize will be awarded by the public during the final.

c) OCP Group Award

This prize will reward an African company for the innovation and quality of their digital services as well as for their impacts.

d) GreenTec-Award

This prize shall go to a promising start-up that has developed a digital model/solution that is not only a profitable business (or has very strong profitability potential) but has at the same time a positive impact on people’s lives. Criteria will also include the visible traction and the potential in other African markets.

Prizes and other benefits

A winning start-up will receive up to 15,000 euros (grant contract). At least seven awards are planned. Apart from the grant contracts, all winners will receive:

• a package of publications (business, agriculture and ICT books);
• attendance to at least two regional or international capacity-building or business networking events, selected after consultation with CTA or partners involved;
• extensive promotion by CTA;
• involvement in CTA’s Pitch AgriHack’s winners’ network;
• possible seed funding or investment from partners involved.

Other opportunities facilitated by partners involved or CTA, may be gained by other participants, including those who may not benefit from the grants (depending on the quality of their services).

For details on prizes, check this page.

Application process

Start-ups will provide details on problems addressed, the technical solution proposed, key metrics, customer segments targeted, unique value proposition compared with the competition, revenue streams and other business strategy elements. They will also demonstrate that they are incorporated or that they will close the process a month before the final.

To register, check this page. 

Selection process

Applications will be screened by teams of business experts and investors.

Key Dates

• Deadline for registration: 24 May 2019
• Announcement of finalist start-ups: by 15 July 2019
• Boot camp and pitching (final) : first week September 2019 in Ghana.

About Pitch AgriHack

Pitch AgriHack is part of the AgriHack Talent initiative of the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) and aims at accelerating e-agriculture entrepreneurship for growth and job creation in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. Co-designed with young innovators and partners from ACP countries, it has included:

• Competitions to develop digital applications for agriculture (hackathons) when there is a need;
• A start-up competition (called Pitch AgriHack) targeting young companies already offering e-agriculture services;
• Capacity building, mentorship and incubation opportunities;
• Promotional and networking opportunities;
• Facilitation of access to grants and investments to scale-up services offered.

The ultimate objective is to contribute to the transformation of the agricultural sector and promotion of youth employment. It is expected that eventually, best start-ups involved will offer effective services to hundreds of thousands of farmers and agricultural stakeholders ACP countries. The programme is being implemented in collaboration with key national and international institutions, multinational private sector bodies, investors, incubators.

For more information,please visit http://pitch-agrihack.info/index.php/2019/04/23/present-your-digital-innovation-and-win-big-at-pitch-agrihack-2019/