Application Deadline:21st February 2022
Digital Innovations for Business Resilience in the East African Community, a program under the dSkills@EA project aims to support young innovators at universities in the East African Community to develop and implement digital innovations for business resilience in the times of Covid-19. Apply with a digital innovative idea to participate in practical training and the chance to win a shared grant of USD 10.000.
Digital Skills for an Innovative East African Industry (dSkills@EA) is a project as part of the technical development cooperation between the EAC and Germany. Digital Innovation for Business Resilience in the EAC is a program under dSkills@EA project.
Requirements
- University students and recent graduates (graduation is not more than 1 year in the past)
- From an East African University
- 18 – 35 years old
- Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply
- Fluent in English
- Have an idea for a digital innovation or are in early-stages of implementing their innovation
- Team of minimum 2 people
Benefits
- Finetune your innovative idea during the online Ideathon and get skills in understanding your customers, product development and business modelling
- Winning teams will receive grants of a pool of USD 10,000
- Get connected to the East African Innovation Ecosystem and learn from amazing people and ideas that will shape our future
- Teams selected for the bootcamp will receive in-depth support through mentors and trainers to further shape their innovation
After an online application phase, selected participants will go through an online Ideathon in February 2022 to refine their ideas.
Based on the Ideathon, max. 10 teams per country of the EAC will be selected for a physical 5 days bootcamp training taking place in each country in March 2022. Evaluation criteria for entering the bootcamp are:
Must-Have Problem
How urgent and important is the identified problem?
Innovative Solution
How desired, innovative and effective is the solution?
Team
Has the team the skills and zeal to execute the idea?
Viability
Is the business model scalable and has viable unit economics?
Technology
Is the idea technology-based or implemented with digital means?
The bootcamp closes with National Pitch-Events in March 2022, providing a relevant opportunity to connect Universities and Industry.
The winners from each country then will compete at the online East Africa Grand Finale in April 2022. At the Grand Finale, five winners will be selected by an expert jury. The USD 10,000 will be split among the five winners according to the stage, needs, and potential of the winners. It will be decided by an expert jury including investors.
Program Timeline
- Jan 2022: Call for Applications
- Feb 2022: 3 days Ideathon (Online)
- Mar 2022: Physical Bootcamp (10 teams selected in 6 countries)
- Mar 2022: Physical National Pitch-Event (in 6 countries)
- April 2022: East Africa Grand Finale (Online)
For More Information:
