Call for Pitchers – BlueInvest Africa 2025 – YOA

Deadline: April 14, 2025

Calling Pitchers! Apply now for the BlueInvest Africa 2025. The BlueInvest Africa is particularly designed to focus on registered African companies already engaged in numerous sectors of the blue economic system, together with begin-ups. It additionally goals to interact African Small, Micro, and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMMEs) formally established in an African nation that possess progressive concepts with potential for additional industrial improvement inside the African market. The occasion anticipates the participation of round 250 on-website attendees, together with distant members from each Africa and Europe, together with traders and entrepreneurs.

BlueInvest Africa’s main targets embrace fostering helpful enterprise connections, creating alternatives to ascertain a community of potential companions, showcasing actual-world enterprise tasks from the sector, and facilitating the change of greatest practices and progressive concepts.

The occasion has a transparent goal. It seeks to highlight the largely untapped potential in Africa, promote entrepreneurial initiatives, and encourage energetic participation from each the private and non-private sectors within the quickly increasing blue economic system of the continent. Additionally, the occasion is geared in the direction of selling ahead-pondering and sustainable options. Up to 30 pitchers shall be chosen for participation on this occasion.

Benefits

The chosen pitchers will profit from the next:

• The OPPORTUNITY to ship their pitches, presenting their tasks, enterprise concepts, merchandise, or providers on the stage in Lomé,Togo through the aforementioned occasion.
• The likelihood to interact in face-to-face interactions with each private and non-private traders with the target of securing offers and acquiring monetary assist for their companies or tasks.
• Access to teaching and mentoring classes, both in group settings or on a person foundation, tailor-made to organize them for their pitch.
• A novel alternative to attach with fellow African mission holders actively engaged in blue initiatives.
• Access to a variety of facet occasions overlaying matters associated to financing alternatives.
• Direct entry to improvement banks and different monetary establishments.
• Promotion of their tales and tasks by numerous media shops and social media platforms, earlier than and through the occasion.

Eligibility

• The pitching firm have to be legally registered and actively working in an African Union member nation. The organizers will make a concerted effort to make sure a balanced illustration throughout various areas inside Africa.
• Applications from ladies, folks in want and younger entrepreneurs are extremely inspired, fostering inclusivity and variety.
• The firm’s head workplace or registered workplace should be positioned in an African nation, and its main enterprise actions needs to be performed inside the continent.
• It is crucial that the pitching firm possesses mental property rights over the services or products proposed by their mission. A self-certification guaranteeing that the corporate is the proprietor of the mental property (IP) or unique licensees is required.

Pitch Presentation

• The chosen pitcher is required to be bodily current in Lomé, within the occasion venue, and ship a presentation on behalf of his/her firm, enterprise, or mission.
• The designated pitcher could be a founding member, director, CEO, or any particular person intently concerned within the determination-making and administration of the corporate or enterprise.
• Alternatively, a employees member designated by the corporate might also current the pitch.
• The pitching firm is accountable for appointing a backup one who will stand in for the designated pitcher within the occasion of an emergency, reminiscent of sickness or accidents. The backup individual’s particulars have to be offered within the application, together with a sign of their availability to step in. Proficiency in each French and/or English is a requirement for the backup individual.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Status

• The firm or enterprise should qualify as a Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (MSME), adhering to the definition outlined within the EU Recommendation 2003/361. Determining elements for MSME standing shall be assessed based mostly on established standards.
• It is crucial for all candidates to completely align with the standards hereunder to make sure their eligibility for participation on this alternative. To be eligible, firms should meet the next standards concerning the variety of prospects and both turnover or annual development price (CAGR).
  • Number of prospects
  • Either turnover or Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)

Assessment Criteria

The evaluation shall be honest, clear, and based mostly on the next standards:

• Compliance with specified tips and standards.
• Demonstrated capabilities to satisfy mission necessities.
• Technological innovation
• Business mannequin
• Social innovation
• Team

Application

Applications have to be submitted by April 14, 2025 at midnight CET. Any purposes obtained after this date is not going to be accepted.

Click here to apply

For extra data, go to BlueInvest Africa.