Africa-focused United States (US)-based accelerator tiphub has announced the 25 startups that will pitch at its Diaspora Demo Day on November 22, with Nigeria leading the way with nine finalists.
The event – hosted in partnership with She Leads Africa and the African Technology Foundation, and to be held at the World Bank in Washington DC – is set to be the largest African startup and entrepreneur event held outside of Africa, showcasing emerging tech companies and social enterprises founded by entrepreneurs of African descent or focusing on African and the diaspora community.
The 25 startups have now been selected, the most being from Nigeria (9), while Kenya has four finalists and Ghana and Uganda have two. The Nigerian companies include NerveMobile, Space Pointe and Afritrade, while Chamasoft and Vuluraha are among Kenya’s finalists. Morocco and Rwanda are also represented, as well as some companies based in the US.
Finalists will make five minute pitches to an audience of impact and angel investors, policy makers, fellow entrepreneurs, industry experts and an esteemed panel of judges, which includes Gloria La Cava, co-coordinator at the World Bank Middle East & North Africa Youth Program, Jon Gosier, managing partner of the AppsAfrica Fund, and Rebecca Enonchong, founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of AppsTech.
All startups will be provided with free legal and business consulting courtesy of Bingham McCutchen, and be able to listen to a number of keynotes and demonstrations by thought leaders including Navarrow Wright, CEO of Max Leverage Solutions, and Romi Bhatia, head of diaspora partnerships for US Global Dev.
“Diaspora Demo Day was conceptualised to be a conduit of engagement, enrichment, and empowerment of entrepreneurs and social innovators in Africa and the Diaspora,” said tiphub marketing director Amanda Spann, “It is our goal to be a catalyst for entrepreneurial advancement, an incubator for high-growth investment and to create a community of camaraderie.”
