Startup with an education focus? This contest might be for you

The Jacobs Foundation’s TRECC initiative, in partnership with Seedstars World, has launched a new competition to find innovative startups with education-focused ideas and services. The competition is focused on ideas and services for rural areas.

Startups participating in the competition, called the TRECC Rural Distribution Contest, could win a prize of US$1000.

“Rural distribution challenges often limit access to quality education for the communities that need it most, further exacerbating social inequalities,” said the company in a press release to Ventureburn.

“We want to better understand how education systems — as well as education entrepreneurs — can leverage existing distribution networks or create socially responsible distribution networks to ensure these communities have access to not only quality education, but other goods and service that can improve the quality of life,” they continued.

TRECC is looking for innovative startups to help expand educational services into rural areas

The TRECC challenge will require participating startups to:

• Give already established educational companies a way to expand into rural markets where they’ll face challenges such as limited electricity and internet
• Be able to improve the delivery systems of education as well as to help individuals learn through technology and other distribution models
•  Have the capacity to spark demand among individuals for a quality education as well as accompanying services in rural communities

The challenge is open until 31 January 2017. Entrepreneurs from across Africa can submit their ideas with the winner being announced on 10 February 2017.

Featured image: Abdallah via Flickr