Entries are now been submitted by interested persons for the Nairobi Innovation Challenge 2024. The Nairobi Innovation Challenge provides the opportunity for early-stage startups to get recognition and be rewarded as the Most Promising Startups of 2024.
Read on for the scholarship application details.
Nairobi Innovation challenge started in 2017 and Nairobi Innovation startups. Since its start till date, it has indeed, boosted Startups.
Meanwhile, there are five categories of this challenge. Also, each of these categories will consist of four startups. Afterward, the twenty selected startups will make 5 minutes pitches each at the Nairobi Innovation Challenge summit on March 12th, 2024.
The table below is a guide on how to apply.
About the Nairobi Innovation Challenge 2024 for early-stage startups
The Nairobi Innovation Challenge 2020 focuses on five thematic areas based on Kenya’s Big Four Agenda. In fact, during the application process, you will need to select ONE of the thematic areas.
To provide the opportunity for early-stage startups to get recognition, twenty startups will be shortlisted into five categories for the NIW Startup Summit, March 12th, 2024.
The categories include:
#1. Manufacturing
This category focuses on any startups involved in any aspect of the manufacturing sector from carrying out manufacturing activities to providing support to manufacturing enterprises.
#2. Food security
This category seeks startups involved anywhere along the value chain from farm to plate. These could especially focus on post-harvest losses, improved production, access to cheaper inputs, better storage facilities, and so on.
#3. Affordable Housing
Participation in this category is limited only by your imagination. Housing ranges from the brick and mortar aspects to financing models of construction and for ownership.
#4. Health
Are you a startup involved in any part of the health sector? If so this is your category. This includes software applications, health care products, health services, training in health, among others.
#5. Cross-cutting
The last category is looking for all other startups that do not belong in any of the above categories but are cross-cutting in that they could be in support of all. These could include startups involved in FinTech, transport, the environment, energy, and so on.
What are the benefits of the Nairobi Innovation Challenge
Winning startups will receive:
- Solutions Oriented Needs Assessment (SONA) + follow up workshop, courtesy of Afribusiness LLP (Value Ksh 250,000);
- One-Day pitching training, courtesy ABSA Bank;
- Two-Day Capacity Building Training, courtesy University of Nairobi and Partners;
- Solutions Oriented Needs Assessment (SONA) Courtesy of Afribusiness LLP (Value Ksh 50,000);
- 70% Discount on the cost to Exhibit at the NIW Innovation Exhibition (March 10-12, 2024);
- Digital Business Planner, courtesy of Afribusiness LLP (Value Ksh 10,000).
