Application Deadline: 3rd August 2015
Tech Lab Africa is a 13-week venture programme supported by Barclays Africa. 8-10 Ventures will be selected to join this exciting programme.
This programme forms part of a global initiative to plug start-ups, corporates and innovators into a physical and digital global network in order to connect , co-create and scale solutions that benefit customers
The programme objectives are to output a portfolio of ventures that Barclays Africa can potentially:
- Partner with
- Connect into the Barclays ecosystem as well as into our corporate client ecosystem
- Acquire or make a capital investment into
- Become a customer of
- Help with next round expansion funding
- Present to our Wealth Clients for Angel Investment opportunities
Eligibility Requirements:
Applicants who meet the following criteria may apply:
- Venture proposition should address or solve existing challenges in the relevant sector or create opportunities in previously unchartered areas
- At a minimum, the ventures must have a working prototype
- Formal trading entity must be established
- Evidence of market traction is preferable
- Preference to revenue generating ventures will be given
- Core management team must be present at the RISE Cape Town site for the duration of the programme
- Venture team must commit to mentoring for the duration of the programme
- Agree to the Tech Lab Africa Participants Terms and Conditions, as well as the investment terms as described under the investment section contained herein
The Tech Lab Africa Programme:
7th September – 4th December: The Programme
The 13 week programme will consist of several components each week highlighted below:
- Company Soapbox: Companies to present targets for the week and progress against milestones with feedback
- Industry Expert Presentations: Information sessions on various topics relevant across the industry
- 1-on-1 Mentor Sessions: Barclays’ mentors and external mentors to schedule time to mentor their selected ventures
- Office Hours with Subject Matter Experts: Tax, Accounting, Finance, Tech, Legal, Marketing, HR, etc. experts will avail 7 hours of their time per week to any and all ventures
- Content Workshops: Interactive workshops geared specifically to the individual ventures – e.g. Lean Startup methodologies, Social Media and Digital Marketing Tools
- Company Pitches (alternating weekly): 4-5 companies per week to report on KPIs met over last 2 weeks
Themes:
Tech Lab Africa is interested in all types of technologies, with a particular interest in FinTech, Digital Health and Health Information Technology.
Fin Tech Areas of Interest:
- Alternative/Crypto/Digital Currencies/Block Chain Technology
- Cloud Enabling Technologies
- Data Analytics and Predictive Modelling
- Digital Marketing and Social Media Tools
- Financial and Cyber Security
- Infrastructure & Operational Technologies (hosting, databases, storage, networking, I.T. management)
- Internet of Things
- Lending
- Machine Learning
- Mobile and Next Generation Payments
- Mobile Data Management/Mobile Infrastructure
- Money Transfers/Remittances
- Personal Finance & Asset Management
- Point of Sale Payments, Billing & Processing (both consumer and wholesale)
- Risk Management/Compliance
Digital Health and Heath Information Technology Areas of Interest:
- Appointment Scheduling & Prep / Doctor Discovery
- Diabetes Management
- Drug & Substance Abuse Testing
- Fertility & Pregnancy Tracking
- Medicine Delivery
- On-Demand House Visits
- On-Demand Mental Health
- Pharmacy Delivery
- Pill Tracking
- Telemedicine / Remote Doctors & Healthcare Assistance
Benefits:
- Mentoring by leading business experts from across industry, senior executives at Barclays Africa, experienced Venture Capitalists (VCs), and other partner professional service organisations, as well as from within Tech Lab Africa’s entrepreneur network
- Access to relevant data sets for use in proposition testing and build out
- Where appropriate, fast track for proof of concepts projects with Barclays Africa
- Direct feedback from target user groups
- Strategy development and pitch coaching from expert VC mentors as well as senior Barclays Africa executives
- Opportunity to become a supplier to Barclays Africa
- Weekly participation in a leadership programme featuring meetings with senior executives, investors and experienced entrepreneurs, together with workshops and panel discussions on topics such as procurement, technology architecture, financial regulations, Intellectual Property strategies and industry trends
- For the core management team, an all-inclusive central Cape Town workspace at Barclays Africa’s ‘RISE Cape Town’ hub, situated within the Bandwidth Barn in Woodstock
- Increase in industry Public Relations (PR) and profile awareness
- Demo Day participation to showcase your technology to Barclays Africa executives, Barclays Africa Private Wealth clients, potential corporate customers, investors and journalists
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of TechLab Africa Programme
