Ocean Innovation Africa Pitch Competition 2023 (Win R15,000)

Are you a start-up focused on the African ocean? Are you seeking investors or strategic partners? For the Ocean Innovation Africa Pitch Competition 2023, submit an application. For the fourth year running, Ocean Innovation Africa will provide the deserving exposure for the most creative African ocean-impact enterprises.

The biennial Ocean Innovation Africa Summit, which has emerged as a standard for ocean innovation on the continent, is the main meeting of investors, industry participants, and governmental agencies working towards ocean sustainability in Africa.

This is your moment to connect with ocean-focused Angel Investors, VCs, industry experts, corporates
and grant providers by becoming a finalist in the OIA pitch competition.

Benefits:

Finalists will get the following:

• Pitch on Stage – present your innovation to a top-level audience including investors,
  authorities, and leading corporations
• Delegate Pass to summit – attend the Ocean Innovation Africa summit to learn, share, and
  connect
• Networking – interact and meet with key players in the African Blue Economy Ecosystem
• Mentoring – benefit from a 1:1 mentoring session to improve and adapt your pitch for the
  competition
• Media coverage – inclusion in Ocean Innovation Africa’s media kit as one of the must watch
  ocean innovators in Africa
• Travel Subsidy – receive up to R7,500 towards your travel costs if coming from outside of
  Cape Town
• Accommodation – finalists from outside of Cape Town will be receive 4 nights free
  accommodation with breakfast included

Winners will get:

• Cash prizes sponsored by the French Embassy in South Africa:
  • First Prize: R15,000
  • Second Prize: R11,250
  • Third Prize: R7,500
• Selection to take part in Monaco Ocean Week – receive a fully funded trip from the Prince
  Albert II of Monaco Foundation to take part in the Ocean Innovators Platform at Monaco
  Ocean Week, from March 21 to 23, 2023

Eligibility:

• Open to an entrepreneur operating in Africa, with the potential to disrupt how the ocean’s
  three main challenges – overexploitation, pollution, climate change – are being tackled on
  the continent.
• Your start-up is ocean-minded: it has a direct or indirect positive impact on the oceans
  (addressing climate change, pollution or over-exploitation of the ocean).
• You have a revenue generating business model and operate in Africa.
• You have a scalable service or product available on the market or soon to be available on
  the market.
• Your company has been incorporated for less than 3 years.
• Your product or service is clearly innovative and/or your business model is disruptive.
• Capacity to be in Cape Town (South Africa) in-person on February 21-24, 2023 (up to R7,500
  reimbursement for costs of visa, return flight tickets, food and on-site transport expenses;
  accommodation and delegate pass to summit provided).

Selection Criteria:

• Impact & Vision: social, environmental and economic impacts
• Business Model: Market and traction, commercial value, strategy for growth and scalability
• Team: Expertise and background, ambition and passion
• Technology: Innovation, reliability, adaptability, scalability

Application:

The following documents are needed to submit your application:

• Pitch Deck (max 12 slides)
• CV/Resume
• Certificate of Incorporation (if already incorporated)
• A 2-minute video to introduce yourself (name, background) and your business (problem
  tackled, service/products, your expected economic, social, and environmental impact, size of
  the team, how you relate to the programme)
• Copy of valid passport

Click here to apply