Applications have opened for the latest leg of the Seedstars World competition in Kampala, Uganda, with one startup to be offered the chance to win US$500,000 in investment at the global final in Switzerland next year.
After earlier legs in Mozambique, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast, Seedstars World arrives in Uganda on September 11 looking to select the country’s best startup for a place in the final.
Applications close on August 22, with startups that make the final set to compete for prizes such as US$500,000 for the overall winner and a US$50,000 Space Prize awarded by Inmarsat and AP-Swiss.
Startups that apply must be less than two years old, have less than US$500,000 in funding and have an available minimum viable product (MVP). Seedstars World is looking for smart startups that solve regional issues or develop profitable products for the global market.
“Seedstars World is a platform connecting investors to the next generation of startup entrepreneurs, pulling the spotlight from Silicon Valley and Western Europe. We honestly think the best way to have an impact in emerging countries is by investing and promoting entrepreneurship,” said Alisée de Tonnac, Seedstars World chief executive officer (CEO).
“We look forward to seeing how the different startup scenes have evolved in a year and we are eager to discover new startups.”
Up to 10 Ugandan startups will be invited to pitch at the event, which will be hosted at the Outbox hub. Solomon Opio and Richard Zulu from Outbox are the local ambassadors, and have partnered with a number of local incubators and accelerators to ensure a broad base of companies take part.
“We are looking forward to seeing how the ecosystem has developed since last year. After meeting exciting companies like remit.ug we can’t wait to see what’s new in Uganda’s thriving startup space,” said Marcello Schermer, regional manager for Africa at Seedstars World.
