Applications open for Pitch Live @ Africa Startup Summit

The Africa Startup Summit in partnership with tech publication Disrupt Africa has opened applications for its 2020 edition of Pitch @ The Africa Tech Summit.

The Africa Startup Summit, which is held annually, will bring together stakeholders in the tech startup space across the continent in Kigali, Rwanda, from 4 to 6 February.

The focus of the summit is on encouraging collaboration and engagement, interactive problem-solving, and creating connections between investors, corporates, stakeholders and startups.

Applications for Pitch Live @ Africa Startup Summit close on 6 January

Disrupt Africa said in a statement last Thursday (28 November) that it will select 10 startups to pitch on the summit’s main stage in front of audience of about 600 people who will include investors and corporate partners.

The audience will be challenged to make progress in responding to the startups’ asks by the summit’s close, with investor meetings, as well as corporate and government partnership talks to be encouraged for pitching ventures.

Startups that get selected for Pitch Live @ Africa Startup Summit will also have access to the rest of the event, which features three summits — including Africa Money & Blockchain Summit and Africa Future Summit — as well as a number of workshops, discussions and networking sessions.

Disrupt Africa co-founder Tom Jackson said in the statement that last year’s participants “really gained a lot” from taking part in the initiative, with tangible outcomes in terms of funding and growth.

Applications for Pitch Live @ Africa Startup Summit close on 6 January and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

To be considered, entrepreneurs must have a startup that is less than five years old and have at least one African co-founder or be headquartered in Africa.

Applicants must also have at least a minimum viable product (MVP), ideally with traction as well as have raised less than $1-million in external funding and have a current “ask”.

Featured image: Microsoft 4Afrika’s Stephane Nyombayire speaking at last year’s edition of Africa Tech Summit Kigali (Africa Tech Summit HQ via Facebook)