Deadline: 9-May-21
Applications are now open for the Smart Cities Innovation Programme, it is a 6-month accelerator aimed at supporting high-potential tech start-ups from Rwanda and other African countries operating in the field of Smart Cities.
The programme is divided into 3 tracks – Smart Mobility, Smart Housing & and Fintech for Affordability – supporting 10 start-ups each.
The 30 selected start-ups will benefit from individual mentoring, training as well as intensive networking and matchmaking with international business partners and investors. SCIP is implemented in partnership with various partners — Volkswagen, Siemens, and the African Business Angels Network (ABAN) among others — to bring in highly specialised technical expertise and to build the start-ups’ networks. Start-ups will also be able to use Green City Kigali, Rwanda’s flagship smart city project, as a real application case to test their solutions and enter the Rwandan market.
Participating to SCIP is entirely free, including the potential travels to Rwanda. The porgramme is entirely funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Duration: SCIP will start in June and end in December 2021.
Why apply to SCIP?
- Access a network of international partners: Start-ups will be linked to international business partners, public institutions and investors.
- Get support from dedicated mentors: Start-ups will be advised by a sector specific mentor and business development mentor.
- Receive training tailored to your needs: Start-ups will receive trainings based on their identified needs, not a predefined curriculum.
- Learn from peers in your sector: Start-ups will exchange with their cohort peers in the mobility, housing or fintech sector.
- Operations in Africa: The start-up is operating in one or more African country. Start-ups from Rwanda are preferred at equal qualification.
- Innovative Smart Cities Solutions: The start-up provides an innovative technology-powered product or service and/or an innovative business model in the field of Smart Mobility, Smart Housing and Fintech for affordability.
- Launched their product or service on the market and have customers.
- Growth & job creation potential: The start-up has potential to expand its operations and meet a significant market demand. Through growth the start-up has potential to create jobs and other sources of reliable income through its business model and/or connection to value chains.
- Social & environmental impact: The start-up has potential to have a positive effect on the environment and/or society.
- Strong & motivated team: The team has a solid background to grow the business and demonstrated motivation to join the programme. Start-ups with female members in management are preferred at equal qualification.
For more information, visit https://www.scipafrica.com/