Global seed-stage startup competition Seedstars will hold its first ever event in Guinea Bissau on September 29, where startups will compete to represent the country at the Seedstars Summit and win up to US$1 million in equity investment.
Seedstars has already held African heats in Egypt, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Ghana, Rwanda, Libya and Uganda, with its Bissau event being held with the support of local host Innovalab.
Applications are open until September 18, with startups required to be less than two years old, have raised less than US$500,000 in funding, and have built a minimum viable product, ideally with existing traction and regional and global scalability.
The Seedstars team will shortlist around 10 of the best seed-stage startups in Bissau to pitch at the event for the chance to represent the country at the global final in Switzerland next year.
“At Seedstars, we believe talent and good ideas are everywhere. We see ourselves as a platform connecting investors to the next generation of startup entrepreneurs in places where normally people wouldn’t think startup ecosystem have such traction, growth and buzz. We are very excited to be in Guinea Bissau, highlighting such a bustling entrepreneurship ecosystem and we are here to witness the reality,” said Claudia Makadristo, regional manager for Africa at Seedstars.
“We are also experts in identifying which are the ones to pull through and how. We’re impressed by what we have seen in the region so far and cannot wait to add startups from Guinea Bissau on our map.”
