The second and third Negawatt Challenge Definition Days are to be held in the first week of March, in Ghana and Tanzania.
Disrupt Africa reported the World Bank’s inaugural Negawatt Challenge was held in Nairobi, Kenya, on January 29; the four month programme starting with a Definition Day to outline the local energy-related problems which will form the basis for the competition.
The Negawatt Challenge hosts innovation competitions in various cities globally; with locations selected based on the government’s energy efficiency and low carbon growth, as well as the existence of dynamic and growing entrepreneurial and technology sectors.
The next two cities to host events have been announced – with the second Negawatt Challenge Definition Day to be held in Accra, Ghana, on March 2; while a programme will also kick off on March 10 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The competition consists of four phases. The first phase is a Definition Day to identify the key energy problems around which the competition will be based, followed by phase two, which sees members of the public invited to comment and expand on the issues identified.
In the third phase – the Negawatt Weekend – participants form teams and execute their ideas addressing the challenges highlighted during the first two phases. Teams refine and pitch their solutions in front of a jury. The most promising ideas will progress to the three-week Negawatt Bootcamp, where they receive coaching and training to help further develop and prototype their solutions.
The programme culminates in a global Demo Day, where semi-finalists from all the regional events pitch against each other via video, uploaded to the NegaWatt site, as well as to Negawatt’s Kickstarter page. Members of the public vote for the winner, and can opt to back their chosen startup.
In Accra, the Negawatt Challenge is hosted by iSpace; while in Dar es Salaam the competition will take place at Buni hub.
