Deadline: 9-Feb-22
The Cape Innovation & Technology Initiative (CiTi) is inviting Southern Africa (SADC) based early-stage EdTech entrepreneurs who are designing tech based solutions aimed at Improving the Quality, Access and Relevance of education in sub-Saharan Africa.
Up to 10 solutions will be selected to participate in the program that will run from 17 February to 3 March 2022, with the entire program requiring a time commitment of approximately 30 hours (or more). This time will be spent completing the pre-coursework and assigned deliverables, engaging in virtual workshops and collaborating with your teammates.
Throughout the program, participants will be receiving support from the Injini team. Support will come in the form of workshop facilitation plus written and/or verbal feedback on the deliverables submitted by participants. Some one-on-one video calls may be arranged with select participants.
Bootcamp Program Structure
- Pre-Programme: Before starting the Bootcamp, selected participants will be required to work through an Injini-created course called “Fundamentals for African EdTech Entrepreneurs”. The course is composed of four topics, but participants will only be required to complete two of the four. The mandatory topics are focused on the Myths & Evidencence in Education and the Business Model Canvas, the other two topics are optional (but beneficial if you have time to complete them). Completing the assigned modules will help ensure that everyone participating in the program is more or less on the same level and has considered the most fundamental aspects of their potential businesses. The course will be accessible to selected participants for about one week before the program begins and they will have up until the sessions in Week 2 to make their way through the content.
- Program Structure: The program will take place virtually and will require all participants to have a stable internet connection. Up to three members of each solution’s team may participate, but at least one team member must be able to commit to attending all of the programmatic sessions. The program includes three workshops covering the following topics:
- Startup Strategy (Understanding the key influencers on any business): Day 1
- Customer Value (Creating a solution based on user and customer needs): Day 2
- How to Pitch your Startup (Preparing for the final pitch at the end of the program): Day 2
Most of the workshops will result in the assignment of a deliverable that is a practical application of the content that was covered. All participants will be required to complete and submit the deliverables for feedback. The program has been designed to allow for ample time to complete all required activities.
Benefits
- The program will culminate with a pitch competition to a panel of judges, allowing each participant to present their progress (both during the program, but also to date) and other key factors of the solution/business.
- The winner , who will be determined based on their performance throughout the program and the pitch itself, will receive a cash prize of R5,000.
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria for participating in the program:
- You must be based in Southern Africa (Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) and with your primary target market also based in the sub-saharan region.
- You are an ideation (or very early) stage EdTech entrepreneur or an aspiring entrepreneur with a tech-enabled idea aimed at Improving the Quality, Access, and Relevance of Education.
- You may or may not have a prototype or minimum viable product (MVP) that you’ve begun testing.
- Your solution is likely to be pre-revenue (but some post-revenue solutions may also be eligible).
- You are able to commit to the time expectations.
- You are excited to learn and believe you will benefit from participating in this programme.
NB: This opportunity is ONLY for innovators from Southern Africa (Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) who are building tech-enabled solutions that are designed to improve the quality, access, and relevance of education. If your solution does not fit this criteria, please DO NOT apply. They promise there will be more bootcamps and you’re likely to be eligible for the next one!
For more information, visit https://www.citi.org.za/blog/6901/
