Funding Opportunities for SMEs in Nigeria and Africa - June 2015...

There is no better time to be an entrepreneur than now. The only thing though is, you need to plug in to the available opportunities for growth by getting the right information. I have gone through my sources and compiled a small list of the some of the opportunities available currently.

All the best.....

1. YBLN Aspiring Entrepreneurs programme

The YBLN initiative is a mandela washington fellows and the Atlanta business league to reduce unemployment rate by 3% before December 2016.

The Aspiring entrepreneurs program is an 8 week residential entrepreneurship training and development program that would select and train a large cohort of young people with viable business ideas.

This year 30 promising and aspiring entrepreneurs will partake in the program and would get the opportunity to start their own businesses. The intention is for them to employ a minimum of four people each before December 2016.

to apply, click here

Read more about the program from our friends at +EntrepreNEWS  here

2. GEMS4 Enterprise Challenge Fund

The GEMS4 Enterprise Challenge Fund is a £3.5 Million private sector development matching grant fund

The objective of the Fund is to catalyse private sector investment in innovative, commercially viable, and inclusive business models that result in improved performance of the Wholesale and Retail sector, jobs and improved income opportunities for poor men and women engaged in the sector.

By improving private sector perceptions of the associated costs and benefits of innovating and adopting pro-poor models, it will encourage replication.

It is intended that the impact of funding given to an individual project will be multiplied by the resulting and recurring changes to perceptions and practices in the Wholesale and Retail Sector.

Read more about it here

3. Building Entrepreneurs Today (BET5) programme

This year’s BET programme has been streamlined to focus mainly on

• Fashion and Lifestyle
• Agriculture and Information 
• Communication Technology

Pointing that the ripple effect of increased economic activity on these sectors has remained monumental on the economy.

Tagged “Pitch In 60 Seconds’’, the programme expects MSME operators who are applying to be considered for the training and grant, to submit a 60 seconds video clip showing them ‘’pitching their business idea’’ to the public. For objectivity, the audience or viewers will be invited to vote for their favourite business idea(s). The businesses with the highest votes qualify for the next round of selection.

Application for this year’s edition of BET is scheduled to commence on June 16, 2015 and is open to the general public. To apply, please visit: www.diamondbankbet.com for more information.

4. Demo africa pitch

The deadline for applications to DEMO Africa 2015 has been extended. The application window which was scheduled to close on 30th May 2015 has been extended for a month with the new deadline set for June 30th 2015.

Applications are still being accepted in the 12 application categories which include: Agriculture, Health, Education, Manufacturing and Retail. Others are Media and entertainment, Communication, Transport and Logistics, Energy, Finance and Banking, Water and Sanitation, Waste Management and recycling.

Over the past few years various angel networks have emerged across Africa. The African Business Angel Network is a new initiative to connect and strengthen all these networks. On Wednesday September 23, the African Business Angel Network, Lagos Angels Network, DEMO Africa and VC4Africa, will jointly present “The African Opportunity: Angel Investing in Africa” Investor Summit at DEMO Africa 2015 in Lagos, Nigeria.

H. Tomi Davies (or TD as he is popularly known) is a co-founder of the Lagos Angels Network (LAN), a prominent figure in Africa’s early stage investor scene, and the President of the newly founded African Business Angels Network (ABAN).

The main DEMO Africa event is slated for 24th and 25th September 2015 at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, Nigeria. Following a successful run last year, an Investor Summit is taking place September 23rd: various investors including Cairo Angels, Lagos Angels Network, Ivoire Business Angels, Viktoria Angels, Ghana Angel Investors Network, Africa Angels Network, Cameroon Angels, Silicon Cape, VC4Africa Investor Network, and others will come together to discuss the “Africa opportunity” as well as discuss best practices, share lessons learned and set the road map for the future.

See this post on how you can register for the DEMO Africa Innovation Pitch.

source - http://www.smebizinfo.com/

5. She leads Africa Pitch competition #slapitch2015



The She Leads Africa business pitch competition provides a platform for the most promising female entrepreneurs in Africa to connect to prominent mentors, business funding and new market opportunities.

They are looking for businesses:

- With at least one female member on the founding team between the ages of 18 and 35
- Have received less than $50,000 in funding?
- Less than than 3 years old
- Focused on the African market or diaspora
- Have already begun operations. Entrepreneurs at the idea stage are not eligible to apply

The top applicants will be invited to Lagos to pitch their business ideas in front of a panel of notable business personalities for the chance to win cash and in kind prizes as well as exclusive meetings with angel investors, prominent venture capitalists and other leading professional mentors and sponsors.

Applications close on June 30, 2015. Questions can be sent to info@sheleadsafrica.org with "Pitch Competition 2015" in the subject line.

Go here to apply.