Startupbootcamp Cape Town is set to open applications for the second edition of its accelerator programme, which will see it embark upon a FastTrack in order to source top-tier tech startups from across the world.
The first-ever Startupbootcamp accelerator in Africa took place last year, and ended with startups signing 32 corporate agreements, including pilots and proof of concepts.
Startupbootcamp is now looking for startups to join its second cohort, and will hosting a FastTrack world tour that will include 19 events across the world between February and May.
FastTracks are informal events aimed at giving the Startupbootcamp team, mentors and sponsors the opportunity to meet the most suitable early-stage companies interested in joining the programme.
For each FastTrack, the top 10 startups that apply will receive instant feedback from a panel of industry mentors, the chance to network with the investment team, and find out more about the programme itself.
Startups that attend a FastTrack are 20 per cent more likely to be invited to the final Selection Days where the ultimate top 10 will be invited to join the three-month programme.
The first FastTrack event will be held at the Head Office of Startupbootcamp sponsor RCS in Cape Town on February 19.
“RCS and BNP Paribas Personal Finance are delighted to be a main sponsor of the 2018 Startupbootcamp programme. This will be our second year sponsoring the programme. There was an impressive line-up of startups that joined the programme in 2017 and our company has subsequently joined forces with a selected few to improve and enhance our customer engagement. Customer-centricity and digital transformation will remain key focus areas for our business in 2018,” said RCS chief executive officer (CEO) Regan Adams.
Startups are able to apply for all FastTrack events here.
“We want every startup to know that even if you don’t make it into the final accelerator, our FastTrack events can provide incredible guidance and mentorship and can fundamentally shift a growing business,” said Zachariah George, co-founder and chief investment officer of Startupbootcamp Cape Town.
Applications for the accelerator itself open on February 21 and close on May 24.
Philip Kiracofe, co-founder and CEO of Startupbootcamp Cape Town, said the 32 agreements signed by the previous cohort was above average for any Startupbootcamp programme globally, while it was also the top performing first-time programme.
“Even in very mature markets such as the US and Europe it generally takes three years for a programme to find its stride. We surpassed expectations in our very first year and this is unprecedented across the global Startupbootcamp footprint,” he said.
“We are not just discovering and scaling the startups that will disrupt the necessary industries, we’re fuelling them. We’re finding people, creating solutions and we’re way ahead of the rest of the world in many ways. For example, in the US, people are still cottoning on to digital cash, while Africa has been doing it for years.”
