Later this year, Nigeria will be hosting DEMO Africa 2015 and this will be the second time the country and the city of Lagos will be hosting the continent’s biggest startup event. As build up, organizers have announced mini events in some major African cities including Nairobi, Accra, Harare and Cairo.
A statement made available to TechCityNG revealed the events are intended to bring together regional technology eco-systems to learn and share from peers and industry players. The events are also aimed at encouraging innovations in less favored categories where interventions are critically needed in various countries across Africa.
The first of these mini events is scheduled for 3rd June in Nairobi where East Africa technology entrepreneurs will interact with key industry players and their more successful peers.
DEMO Africa’s executive producer Harry Hare called on the entrepreneurs to take advantage of the existing opportunities, at the same time exuding confidence in the standards of innovations on the DEMO Africa stage. “With each passing year we get to witness the amazing thoughts and hard work of young entrepreneurs, I am confident that on the DEMO Africa stage this year, investors will get to witness innovations that will convince them to channel more of their resources towards technology entrepreneurship.”
Innovators from across Africa have been asked to submit their applications in the 12 application categories which include: Agriculture, Health, Education, Manufacturing and Retail. Others are Media and entertainment, Communication, Transport and Logistics, Energy, Finance and Banking, Water and Sanitation, Waste Management and recycling.
To qualify for DEMO Africa 2015, start-ups must ensure that their products have the ability to impact the marketplace of introduction. A clear business plan and a team capable of delivering the product are also vital. The product must be ready for launch and the business must be legally registered. Preference is given to disruptive innovations that have massive potential for scale.
The main DEMO Africa event is slated for 24th and 25th September. Apply now for a chance to witness the best technology innovations from Africa. This year, various investors will come together to discuss the “Africa opportunity” as well as discuss best practices, share lessons learned and set the road map for the future. These will include investors from the Cairo Angels, Lagos Angels Network, Ivoire Business Angels, Viktoria Angels, Ghana Angel Investors Network, Africa Angels Network, Cameroon Angels and Silicon Cape and others.
