GIZ-SAIS INVESTMENT READINESS PROGRAM 2022

GIZ-SAIS INVESTMENT READINESS PROGRAM 2022 FOR AFRICAN AGRITECH AND FOODTECH STARTUPS

FINAL APPLICATION DATE: August 31, 2021

Applications are ongoing for GIZ-SAIS Investment Readiness Program 2022.  Scaling digital Agriculture Innovations Through Startups’(SAIS) is a project put into action by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fuar Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH for the German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and development (BMZ).

The general target of the project is to Aid African startups in ascending their digital innovations; these innovations should enable users in the agriculture or food sectors to accelerate their income. Up to 18 startups are chosen yearly to take part in a nine-month investment Readiness Program wholly funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ).

The aim of the Investment Readiness Program is to Aid more African startups in improving their business models, getting access to investors and business partners, and attaining greater impact. Seven (7) production indicators (also called investment readiness criteria or investment readiness output indicators) have been defined to evaluate and monitor the investment readiness level elected startups.

BENEFITS

The Investment Readiness program includes:

Weekly coaching and advisory sessions:  these weekly advisory sessions  and coaching sessions will be held virtually during which strategies and measures for rapid growth and scaling, secondly product improvement and innovation, lastly, leadership and business management operations will be developed and implemented with the agri Tech and Food Tech startups.

Additional services: Depending on  the startup’s commitment, you will get access to additional services to enhance certain segments (e.g. legal advice, marketing, coding, product optimization, etc.) of the AGRITECH AND FOOD TECH startups.

Hub integration: Selected startups will be integrated in one of our partner hubs in their country this is in order to facilitate their visibility, plus exposure and also establish contact with important actors in the local startups scene.

Access to GIZ-SAIS network: access to investors and business partners from the GIZ-SAIS network.

Extended services: add-on services for female entrepreneurs.

Meet-up events: Up to three in-person meet-up events. Depending on the COVID-19 situation over the course of 2022, it may be possible to move the in-person meet-ups to online events. Currently the plan is to start the IRP with a kick-off seminar in Cape town, in January 2022 (CW4), followed by a virtual mid-term check-in June 2022; a demo-day with investors and business partners will end the program in  September  2022.

You can find out more opportunities on Your Opportunity Africa, 

ELIGIBILITY

Available to African AgriTech and FoodTech Startups;

SAIS is searching for innovative startups that have the ability to scale up quickly and also apply for digital solutions to the agriculture and food sector which will enable their users to develop their income;

Plus, digital products or services that help reduce the impact of COVID-19 are an asset and will be taken into special consideration.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Mandatory criteria

Legal representation

• The startup must be registered and running in at least one African country.
• A certification of incorporation will be a prerequisite.

Team

• The startup must have a team of at least two people.

The management team must be fully motivated and work at the business ideal fully.

Digital product

• The startup must have a valid digital product with a clear positive impact on its users’ income.
• The product must be aligning with one of the digital technologies listed below.

Access to market and traction

 

• The startup must have certified its digital product at least six months before the application period.
• The startups give proof of good traction (customer base, first revenues)

Competitive Criteria

Business model: The startup should have an easily comprehensible and very convincing business model ( clear customer segment, clear revenues stream, clear problem statement and clear digital solution).

Customer data: the startup should have admission to customer data through its digital solution (number of customers and gender); if this is not the case, building customer databases will be one of the first development measures if the startup is chosen for IRP.

Level of innovation: innovative and disruptive solutions will be regarded as an asset. Solutions that help reduce the post impact of Covid-19 will be taken into special consideration.

Application

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Application final date is August 31, 2021. All submissions must be done on or before this date.

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