APPLY NOW: AFRICA STARTUPS CHALLENGE NOW OPEN

Do you want to partner with a global financial services company to accelerate your business?

Then get involved in the Africa Startups Challenge!

Thomson Reuters in partnership with Venture Capital For Africa (VC4A) are launching an initiative to provide a platform for startups to partner with us as you grow your startup into a lucrative business.

The Africa Startups Challenge seeks to find the best new companies coming out of Africa. As a large continent made up of many emerging markets Africa is home to some exciting startups who are able to leverage new technology and new business models to leap-frog the current players. We want to know which startups are important and why.

Thomson Reuters aims to empower Africa’s success by providing government, financial, academic and business solutions that have helped move from aid-based economies to self-sustaining, knowledge-based economies for almost 150 years.

What is in it for you?

• The Challenge will provide you with the opportunity at a potential partnership with a global financial services and professional information company.
• Increase visibility for your startup by being showcased on our global investment platform called Eikon.
• Opportunity to attend the Thomson Reuters Africa Summit 2016.
• Cash prize for the winning startup.

If your startup is in FinTech or related industries, then this is the challenge for you!

Thomson Reuters position as a trusted provider in financial markets makes it attractive for FinTech startups to work with us as a partner. Our answer to the changing environment is an open platform approach – leveraging our depth and breadth, and enabling collaborative partnerships focused on innovation.

This Challenge seeks the most promising startups in Africa. Key areas of focus are the following 10 categories:

• Agri-tech (including land administration)
• Big data analytics
• Blockchain
• Digital government
• Education
• Internet of Things
• Fintech
• Media-tech
• Mobile technology
• Supply chain

Click here to apply now. 

Gbedion - Afe Riches Inegbedion #inthespiritofenterprise

Hey fam...

Been a minute. I have been all over the place. If you follow me on instagram @mofolusade  you would already have an idea. Besides.... Omo meeen, you need some extra gangster strength and determination to keep going in this Nigeria, can I get a witness out there! But we must not give up because tough times never last but tough people do as Robert Schuller said.

Most of the conversations I have been in lately have been around collaboration. The era of one man squads is no more the way, people must come together and build businesses that will last. This is why I was excited when I heard about this idea. Technology has opened up a lot of new opportunities and platforms for us and we need to take advantage. If you have an idea, don't keep it to yourself, look for a co-founder who has what you don't have. There are many ways to find that person and here's one real life example below;

That's one way and Afe has another way and he shares his journey with us in today's #inthespiritofenterprise post.

Enjoy.

Tell us about yourself

My name is Afe Riches Inegbedion. I am from Edo State but I am based in Lagos. I studied Industrial Mathematics at the University of Benin, Benin City. I also have a Masters degree in Information Systems Management from the University of Greenwich, London. My philosophy is that there is always a better way to do something. You just have to think hard and observe out.

Tell us about your business

The business Gbedion came to be in February 2016 but the concept was conceived in 2012. Gbedion was founded because Nigerians are hard working and have a lot of good ideas but most of them do not have a means to fund their ideas.

Currently getting a loan from the bank is not easy. They ask for so much detail, collateral and give high interest interest rates. This makes a lot of people give up their ideas. There is also the issue of validating your ideas. Will people like it? Will they pay for it? Gbedion gives you the opportunity to see if people believe in your project enough to donate their hard earned money towards it. That is enough validation in my book. I experienced funding issues too and thought about it. Why not solve the problem instead of complaining about it and hence Gbedion came to be. 

Gbedion is a social crowdfunding platform for Africans. In simple words you can post your inspiring business plans on Gbedion and state how much you need, share to family and friends and receive donations from all of them and more. No interest , no loans. All you need to give them is a reward that is related to your proposed business.

For example you want to start a unique car wash business, you have drawn your business plan, you know how much you need and how to execute it. All you need is funding. This is where Gbedion comes in, fill the form, get an invite from Gbedion, post your business plan, offer rewards to donors (for example donate N1000 and get one free car wash), reach your stated funding amount and Gbedion will give you the donated about. All transactions will be displayed on the website for transparency.

What was your inspiration for starting this business?

I started this business because of the personal frustration I faced in bringing my business idea to life. I also have a lot of friends and relatives that have wonderful ideas that they would like to bring to life but funding is an issue. This is why I founded Gbedion, to change the situation and encourage entrepreneurs to start businesses.

How did you get funding for your business?

I got funding for my project through personal savings. Funding is still needed however, to make it grow.

What opportunities have you been able to leverage on in your business so far?

I am currently discussing with Hubbub Foundation (a crowdfunding foundation in London, Boston and Sydney). They are interested in the project. I am looking forward to getting assistance from them.

What Challenges have you faced so far and how have you been able to overcome them?

Setting up and growing our customer base has been challenging but we are moving forward.
I've faced several challenges while trying to start Gbedion. 

1) The idea: 

Many people said it won't work. There are too many scams in Nigeria and so on. I came to realize that scams exist every where not just in Nigeria. People try to scam themselves in a lot of businesses. Why should I stop for the fear of scams when it exists in every other business. Tackling it is the way forward.

2) Branching out: 

The other issue was people will steal your idea; do not tell anyone. You cannot execute a large business plan on your own, you need people but you have to share your idea so people can assist you make it happen. 

I believe an idea has no value on its own. It needs a good execution and for a business to be successful it needs a combination of a good idea and a good execution. If someone tries to steal your idea. He /she only has the idea, how it is executed will certainly be different from yours. I hope the lovely people with wonderful ideas in Africa realize this and stop being afraid to post their business plans on Gbedion for fear of their ideas being stolen.

3) Funding: 

Funny enough this was also an issue for me. Gbedion was supposed to be an app but the cost of building an app is incredibly high. Hence Gbedion was launched as a web platform instead. Which I feel is an advantage because it is easily accessible to anyone that has an internet connection and a browsing device.

How will you summarize the journey so far?

Wow the journey so far has been enjoyable, frustrating and stressful. From brain storming the idea, carrying out research, reaching out to people, raising funds, getting turned down by a lot of people that think you just want to collect money from them. Its been an eventful journey.

Given the Chance, will you do this again?
Definitely, I will do it again. There is joy in bringing your idea to life and watching it grow.

What lessons have you been able to learn from your journey so far that others should know.

• Believe and be passionate about your idea. People will turn you down but when they begin to see how serious you are, the progress you have made and your consistency. They will begin to believe in your idea too and join you to make it happen. 
• Validate your business idea at a low level first. It has to work on a small scale for it to also work on a large scale. Do this and you will not waste your resources.

The business itself has evolved over time. It started out in 2012 as Riap.biz. I do not run riap.biz anymore. It was a website where people could show case their work to the world for recognition. The crowdfunding idea had not come to be then.

How can people connect with you

Visit Gbedion website: http://www.tippinternational.com/ . 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gbedion/ 

Phone No: 08171067640
Office Address: 61 Akeju Street, Off Shipeolu, Palmgrove. Lagos.

Ignite Ideas Contest..... Apply now

Will 100,000 make a difference to your business? Is that the amount you need to jumpstart your business? If yes, this is for you. If no, hurry over to the previous post, but think deeply about this first. An over funded business can be as toxic as an under funded business. 

Many times people raise the issue of funding, they complain and blame the banks, the family members that dont assist, the government and so on, then you ask them that critical question, how much do you need? Er.... there you go. So before you go shopping for funds, be clear on exactly how much you need and what you need it for. 

The application for N100,000 interest-free loan for micro, small and medium scale enterprises as well as individuals with a viable business idea is still open.

Apply before the deadline and stand a chance to be one of the 1,100 great business ideas to access an interest free loan of N100,000 powered by Mrs Ibukun Awosika, +FirstBank Nigeria and the Lagos state government. You not only get to win this interest free loan but you also get access to capacity building programs from the Ignite Ideas team led by Mrs Ibukun Awosika.

The loan is not only interest free but comes with a 3 month moratorium after which payment is spread over a period.

Apply at http://www.igniteideas.org

Follow ignite ideas on Twitter: @IgniteContest

A unique opportunity for Start-Ups!

In Africa as elsewhere, many young people aspire to start their own business and build a brighter future, which is why we’ve created the « Startupper of the year by Total »challenge.

Ideas deserve support, especially great ones. And promising ideas deserve a helping hand.

Google, Facebook, Daily Motion, Twitter, Deezer, Airbnb and other leading names in the 2.0 economy all started as the brainchild of inspired young people. There’s no shortage of startuppers in Africa — iCow(1), Afate 3D Printer(2), CardioPad(3), Obami(4), Sense Ebola Follow up(5) and M-Iouma(6) are already shaking up the continent.

IF YOU’RE CURRENTLY PREPARING A BUSINESS PLAN OR ARE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF CREATING YOUR OWN BUSINESS, YOU’RE ELIGIBLE TO ENTER OUR CHALLENGE!

Total Wants You

Are you under 35 years old? Do you want to create a business or develop one that is less than two years old? Are you a citizen of one of these 34 African countries: Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Guinea, Republic of the Congo, Reunion, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia or Zimbabwe?* If so, this challenge is for you!

We’re interested in all your projects, regardless of the type of business or activity, as long as they share the characteristics common to creative start-ups: innovation, competitiveness, growth boosting and job creation.

*The contestant must be a citizen of the country where its application is submitted in order to create or develop its project there. Only one application by contestant is admitted.

ENTER THE CHALLENGE!

Create a profile here to take part.

To enter, create your profile and provide the required information online. To support, justify and illustrate your project, you can attach as many documents as you wish to your application, including:

• your résumé,
• your business plan,
• your financing plan,
• your partnership strategy,
• an executive summary,
• a marketing brochure,
• your logo,
• your graphic standards,
• and/or a photo or video presentation, etc.

Think Global, Act Local

What challenges need to be tackled where you live? How will your innovative project address them? After you show us how, we’ll support those of you who will inspire, create, invest, hire and produce, all to transform "your" world

1 Kenyan start-up. Agricultural information service by mobile phone.
2 Togolese start-up. 3D printers made from discarded electronics.
3 Cameroonian start-up. Touch screen medical tablet designed to save lives.
4 South African start-up. Alternative learning platform.
5 Nigerian start-up. A mobile tool to help contain Ebola.
6 Senegalese start-up. Country’s first online agricultural stock exchange.

#MillionaireBossin15seconds – Win 1 Million Naira for your Legit Hustle from Charles Okpaleke

Stumbled on this yesterday and thought to share. Many more people are coming up with innovative ways to support young entrepreneurs. Everyday, there is one new opportunity or the other, don't let any opportunity pass over you. Rehearse your pitch and make sure the main points are captured within 15seconds, then upload to instagram, you're always there playing anyway! lol. The full step by step information on what you need to do is below. 

All the best!

They say, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step“. My name is Charles Okpaleke, and I’m here to inspire a young entrepreneur by providing him/her means to take that ‘first step’ in starting and growing a successful business.

By God’s grace, I’m an entrepreneur today. I am one of the directors of  +Play Entertainment Network  and its subsidiaries.

I am aware that raising start-up funds is one of the most challenging aspects of starting a new business. I am here to strengthen your motivation and desire to succeed by offering 1,000,000 naira business grant to a young entrepreneur with the best business idea. All you need to do is pitch it to a team of judges in 15 seconds. Yes, 15 seconds.

You must not necessarily have a grand proposal with an intricate business plan; a small lucrative idea that addresses a real and demonstrated public need is what I am looking for. We all hustle to get to the next level. “Realizing that anyone can do it is the first step. The next step is figuring out how you’re going to do it”.

How to Enter:

• Follow @playnetworknigeria on instagram
• Make a 15seconds instagram video summarizing your business plan
• Post the video on your own instagram page with the hash tag#millionairebossin15seconds and tag @playnetworknigeria
• Your video will be reposted on @playnetworknigeria instagram page and you will be tagged
• If your video (business summary) makes the top 5 videos with the highest number of likes (not paid likes), you will be invited to Abuja to meet with the judges
• If you’re invited to Abuja you will be given the opportunity to explain in detail your business plan, and if yours is the best you’re taking the 1,000,000 naira home

Contest begins TODAY and ends on October 31st! (Well, it began yesterday actually)

Source: Bellanaija.com

Funding, Mentoring In 2015 WIMBIZ Competition - 2 days to go!! Apply now

Applications are now open for the WIMBIZ 2015 Impact Investment Competition!

Theme: Women in Technology

The Award:

1,000,000 NGN will be awarded to the top 3 businesses.
The top 10 applicants will be granted scholarships to attend the Annual Conference
Awards will be presented to the winners during the closing ceremony of the Annual Conference
The winners will be assigned mentors on the platform of the WIMBIZ mentoring program

What is the Impact Investment Competition?

This is a business plan competition for start-up businesses in the impact investment niche.

The 2015 competition will equip 3 female owned startup businesses in the technology industry with the necessary support to ensure their success and sustainability.

For a business to participate, it must:

• Have clearly defined goals and objectives
• Be sustainable and profitable
• Impact society
• Be in the start-up phase and should not be more than 12 months old (new businesses are welcome to apply)
• Be a technological start-up

Application Deadline:

Monday, 31st August, 2015

How Does One Apply?

Fill in the online application here

You will be required to upload create and upload a 1-3 minute(s) video marketing your unique product and/or service, upload to YouTube and paste the link to your application

Who Can Apply?

To apply for this award:

• You must be a citizen of Nigeria
• You must be a woman between the ages of 21-30
• Your business must be situated in Nigeria and should have a sustainability component for Nigeria
• The value of your request should not exceed 300,000NGN
• The business must be in the start-up phase and should not be more than 12 months old
• The owner must demonstrate commitment and interest in the business

NASME Lagos Quarterly Business Launcheon - 3rd Edition

Don't miss the NASME event this thursday holding at SheratonHotel and Towers, Lagos from 9:30 to 3:30pm. The details are as follows;

To register, send a mail to nasmelagos@gmail.com

It's 5,000 naira for registered members of the association and 8,000 naira for non registered members. For updates and information about the body like the facebook page here.

THEME: 

Challenges of High Micro Credit Interest Rates: Implication for MSME development in Nigeria.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

Dr. Mudashiru Olaitan, Director,
Development Finance, Central Bank Of Nigeria.

DATE:

Thursday, July 9th, 2015

TIME:

9:30 - 3:30pm

VENUE:

Sheraton Hotel and Towers
Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Way
Ikeja, Lagos.

See you there!!

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.

STOP DREAMING, GET YOUR DREAM STARTED with NESCAFE

The last one of this series of opportunities is from Nescafe...... 

Details

Do you have a dream? Can your dream make the difference for your community, your country or even the whole world? Enter the NESCAFÉ Get Started challenge and show everyone how powerful your idea is.

All you need to do is to submit your dream here. If you find it published on the website the following week, it means that it’s passed the preselection. This is the time to get as many votes as possible, so make sure you get all your friends to vote for your dream.

The 4 most impressive dreams will receive support from inspiring African mentors to pitch their ideas to the grand jury. The ultimate winner’s dream will get started by NESCAFÉ.

Check out the winner of NESCAFÉ Get Started 2014

2014 Winner

Muazu, Nigeria

5 GOLDEN RULES TO GET STARTED


1. Your dream must not be of material benefit to oneself.


2. Your dream should focus on one of these categories: Technology, Arts and Culture, Community Development, Environment or Health.


3. Your dream must have an action plan.


4. Your dream must start something big for you and people around you.


5. Make us fall in love with your dream and we’ll help you to get it started.

You can also watch +Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata Jnr. CFA s inspiring video for the project here

All the best fam!

APPLY NOW! - Etisalat easybusiness millionaires hunt

This is the season for entrepreneurs! It appears the world can't get enough of us. Don't let this season pass you by. You should apply for any one of these funding opportunities flying around. What's to lose? If you hold back because you think someone will steal your idea, while you are hustling to raise the money through other methods, you will wake up one day to see your idea implemented by someone else. Ideas are cheap.....

Easybusiness millionaires hunt

Just like it was Last year, this year’s Hunt for Nigeria’s next small and medium business millionaires will reward the Top 10 business ideas with a N2,000,000 financial grant each.

Also, contestants with the Top 50 business ideas will be rewarded with brand-new office equipment and 1-week entrepreneurship training at the prestigious Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of the Pan Atlantic University, Lagos.

Call for entry opens on Thursday 12th March, 2015 and closes on Friday 12th June, 2015.

To participate in the Hunt, 

Interested subscribers must:

• Recharge their Easybusiness line with N3,000
• Dial *345*3# to pay for 3 months’ subscription upfront
•  Text YES to 5885 from their easybusiness lines to opt-in for the competition.
• An SMS would be received indicating a unique code and a URL where the business idea should be forwarded to.

Existing Easybusiness customers who have subscribed for a minimum of 3 months in advance are also eligible to participate.

Also, every interested Easybusiness customer who texts YES to 5885 will be automatically entered for a daily draw to win phones, with 5 phones up for grabs daily throughout the entire call-for-entry period.

In addition, all customers who successfully submit their business ideas on the designated online portal will be automatically entered for a monthly draw to win brand-new office equipment such as all-in-one scanners, printers, and photocopiers – with 5 winners emerging every month.

For more information on the Easybusiness Millionaires Hunt Season 2:

Visit

http://www.etisalat.com.ng/easybusinessmillionaireshunt"
www.etisalat.com.ng/easybusinessmillionaireshunt

or

Visit the nearest Etisalat Experience Centre

or

Contact the enterprise marketing team by email 

Huawei - She Leads Africa Fellowship Application

Hello Fam,

You must forgive me. I have been lazy and maybe quite tired a bit too. Health is wealth, so I had to slow down a bit, I can't come and die on this hustle. Lol.

So this opportunity is urgent, if you haven't seen it. It closes on thursday, if you want to give it a shot, please hurry and submit before thursday. All the best....

Details...

The Huawei-She Leads Africa Fellowship is the first program of its kind to provide female tech entrepreneurs from across Africa the opportunity to visit China to receive a behind the scenes experience at the technology giant, network with peer entrepreneurs and develop relationships with investors and companies interested in doing business in Africa.

Eligible applicants must be women between the ages of 18-40 who are building a technology business focused on Africa.

Applications close on April 30, 2015.

Questions can be sent to info@sheleadsafrica.org with Huawei Fellowship in the subject line.

Click here to apply.

Also, please email a pitch deck to info@sheleadsafrica.org with the subject line: Huawei Fellowship - First Name, Surname by April 30th.

A pitch deck is a presentation, usually powerpoint, that summarizes your startup idea and business model for potential investors. 

For more guidance, you can find examples at http://www.pitchenvy.com/ and http://bestpitchdecks.com/. 

Other useful articles: + How to pitch your startup in 3 minutes: http://on.mash.to/1npHqR5 + 3 simple ways to pitch your startup today: http://linkd.in/1rlVrA3 + 5 practical tips to perfect your startup pitch: http://on.mash.to/107mdR9

Calling all entrepreneurs – CcHub’s Call for Ideas is open!

Remember +BudgIT NG ? In my early blogging days, I made quite a bit of noise about them, hehe. It was their success story that made me fish out the +CcHub Nigeria in Yaba. They recently graduated from the incubation centre and are doing great.

In case you haven't noticed, collaboration, co-creation is the new cool. Let's face it, if we want more companies to last, we need to work together, to find synergies, to build teams, to leverage on each other's strengths. This is why you can't afford to keep your idea to yourself. There are tricks and tips for protecting your idea though and you can listen here, to what Wunmi and I had to say about this on the episode before the last of strike the anvil. At the end of the day, you are better off sharing.

Anyhoo, so the Hub is calling for ideas again and if you have been looking for a platform to leverage on, here's your chance........

Read all about it;

Co-Creation Hub (CcHub) is a launch pad for start-ups, transforming ideas to sustainable ventures that solve real Nigerian problems. To date CcHub has supported the development and launch of more than 50 innovative technology startups solving social challenges in Nigeria.




Will the next golden idea come from you?

You can submit an innovative idea that solves a real Nigerian problem to the CcHub Call for Ideas for up to $25,000 in investment as well as networks and market entry support to get you kick-started.

The aim of the programme is to encourage the development of Nigerian led solutions for real Nigerian problems, focusing on six key areas – Governance, Transportation, Healthcare, Education, Food Security and the Environment.

We believe that by engaging a community of progressive stakeholders (end-users, subject matter experts, government agencies, businesses, academics, civil societies etc.) who bring their creativity and knowledge to play we can co-create solutions to social challenges faced by the average Nigerian.

These are our 5 tips for creating innovative solutions

• Solve ONE clear problem: focus on one problem and not many
• Understand the problem: observing the environment, infrastructure, culture and lives of people by being there.
• Think creatively: start big, use constraints as a filter and find the simplest solution.
• Identify a service gap: is there a service that isn’t being provided or not being provided to a satisfactory manner
• Deliver value: what are the benefits for people using the end product, does it improve a persons life?

Submit an Idea

Ideas should be submitted here by Sunday 31 May 2015. Ideas will be assessed by a panel, and those whose ideas are selected will be invited for an interview. Following this, the most viable ideas will be taken into the CcHub Pre-Incubation and Incubation Programmes.

1000 ideas have walked through our doors but is yours the one that will make it through and stick?

From Passion to Empire with Microsoft Lumia #opportunities

Do you have an idea? Do you believe in that idea? Need funding? Here's your chance!

Be one of 5 people to win up to 3.5 million Naira to bring your business and ideas to life. That's not all, you also stand a chance to get mentored by top successful entrepreneurs which include, Nigerian beauty entrepreneur, Tara Fela-Durotoye, entertainment mogul and founder of the Chocolate City Group, Audu Maikori and founding partner of leading careers and jobs website, Jobberman, Opeyemi Awoyemi.

As part of its commitment to supporting the development of entrepreneurship in Nigeria, Microsoft Mobile Devices and Services would be awarding N3.5m to 5 Nigerians with brilliant business ideas in its +Microsoft Lumia 535  Dual SIM activation, tagged from “Passion to Empire”, which would run from February 16, 2015 to March 31, 2015.

Meet the mentors:

http://commons.wikimedia.org

Tara Fela-Durotoye is a trained lawyer who pursued her dream of becoming a successful make-up artist is the CEO of House of Tara International and designer of the Tara “Orekelewa” Beauty range, Inspired Perfume and the H.I.P Beauty range.

She emphasizes the role of passion in attaining success in these words: “When you want to succeed as much as you want to breathe, that’s when you will be successful.”

http://www.oxfordafricanetwork.org

Multi-talented Nigerian entrepreneur, Audu Maikori, is famous for his globally acclaimed record label, Chocolate City, which represents a number of international artistes. Also a trained lawyer, Maikori is an entrepreneur, social activist and poet. An example of one that has transformed his passion to a business empire. One of his abiding aspirations is to build the biggest entertainment empire in Africa.

http://www.bellanaija.com/

Opeyemi Awoyemi is the co-founder of Nigeria’s leading job search-engine, Jobberman. The groundbreaking job search site began as the dream of young Awoyemi and a couple of friends. Dream turned to reality for him during the 2009 industrial action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). 

An eloquent testimony to the empire Awoyemi has made of his passion is that the Forbes Magazine has listed Jobberman as one of the Top 20 Tech Startups in Africa.

Lumia, An entrepreneur's phone:

Lumia smartphones and tablets, including the Microsoft +lumia 535 Dual SIM, specifically, provide business tools every entrepreneur needs to achieve the extraordinary. The Lumia 535 Dual SIM offers five great integrated Microsoft experiences, a wide-angle 5 megapixel front facing camera, and a spacious 5 inch display protected with Gorilla Glass 3, unique selling propositions that make it a perfect device for #entrepreneurs who want to do more on the go.

‘From Passion to Empire’ initiative is aimed at testing the viability of young entrepreneurs’ ideas, sharpening their skills and expanding their frontiers through intensive business coaching aimed at helping them transform their business ideas to empires.

At the end of Passion to Empire, five people with the most brilliant business ideas would be awarded the sum of N3.5m each, in addition to being mentored by these successful entrepreneurs. They will also undergo three days of training at the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of the Pan Atlantic University.


How to Participate:

To participate in “Passion to Empire”, interested entrepreneurs need to buy the Microsoft Lumia 535 Dual SIM or any other Lumia smartphone or tablet, 

1. Make a video detailing how you plan to grow your business (You can do this on your phone)

2. Label the video with your name and IMEI number

3. Upload to www.microsoft.com/mobile.

All the best guys......

Funding and Business Development Opportunities For SMEs in Nigeria

Does your business make impact in the following space?

• Agriculture and Agricultural Processing
• Manufacturing: Production of affordable products/services with high relevance for women, youth and (or) small holder farmers 
• ICT and Media 
• Recycling and Renewable Energy

Nextzon has been commissioned by Oxfam to implement an Oxfam funded business development service platform for SMEs in Nigeria.

Objective:

The Objective is to identify qualifying SMEs (with specific impact objectives) that can be structured and made bankable for potential funding. This will include Expanding SMEs and Early Growth Enterprises with difficulty accessing finance.

Selected SMEs will have the opportunity to be funded by an Oxfam supported impact fund (in either equity, quasi-equity or debt and as the business case may justify).

Areas of Interest:

SMEs across the listed sectors impacting women, youth and small holder farmers through job creation, improved incomes and the availability of affordable products and services of high relevance (to the target groups).

Your business could be eligible for the Oxfam Impact Investment based on the following criteria:

• Your business is a few years in operation and has started generating revenues
• You are socially committed and are willing to take on social and environmental responsibilities.
• You are committed to meeting environmental, social and corporate governance standards.
• You have a proven track record in your line of business.
• You are supported by a strong management team with a proven track record.
• Your business model is attractive and you have a clear value creation strategy.
• Your business is well positioned to benefit from market growth.
• You are looking for an investment size of between € 100,000 and € 1,000,000.

If you think your business is an ideal candidate to receive an Inclusive Impact Investment, proceed to application stage.

Follow this link - APPLY

Please have your financials and financial projections handy for this process.

Note: if you do not receive an email notification confirm the receipt of your application, contact the below:

Visit: http://www.inclusive-investments.com/

Email to: ventures@nextzon.com , nextzonventures@gmail.com , infonigeria@oxfamnovib.nl

Call/Text: 08166452418, 07017726747 or tweet: @smecapex

Grants and Awards for Entrepreneurs in 2015

I joined  Weconnectinternational last year and apart from the support network I have access to, I also get useful updates on seminars, grants and anything else that can help a woman survive in the Nigerian entrepreneurial space.

That's the badge I wear with pride

 +Comfort Sakoma, our Nigerian country director and her team have summarized the available grant opportunities for Nigerians at the moment, complete with deadlines and all. I think it's worth sharing. 

YouWin
Deadline: 30 January 2015 (Round 1)
Apply here: https://www.youwin.org.ng/

 YouWiN! stands for Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria. It is an innovative business plan competition aimed at job creation by encouraging and supporting aspiring entrepreneurial youth in Nigeria to develop and execute business ideas. The accomplishments of the 1,200 YouWiN! awardees were celebrated at the Presidential Villa on April 12, 2012. YouWiN! Women was the second edition of the entrepreneurial scheme, which was designed for only female entrepreneurs aged 45 years or less. The third edition, YouWiN! 3, which support both male and female entrepreneurs in Nigeria, recently announced the 1500 awardees. With the upcoming launch of YouWiN! 4, the President of Nigeria will have fulfilled his promise to financially support over 3,600 Nigerian youths to develop their entrepreneurial ideals and plans through the YouWiN! program. YouWiN! 4 is open to both male and female entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 - 45 years.

Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards
Deadline: 27 February 2015
Apply here: http://cartierwomensinitiative.com/

The +Cartier Women's Initiative Awards are an international business plan competition created in 2006 by Cartier, the Women's Forum, +McKinsey & Company  and INSEAD business school to identify, support and encourage projects by women entrepreneurs. A WEConnection won last year and she will be sharing her application experience at upcoming Weconnection events!

The mission of the Cartier Women's Initiative Awards is threefold:

• To identify and support initial-phase women entrepreneurs through funding and coaching
• To foster the spirit of enterprise by celebrating role models in entrepreneurship
• To create an international network of women entrepreneurs and encourage peer networking

The Cartier Women's Initiative Awards aim to encourage the most vulnerable category of entrepreneurs in their most vulnerable phase: women entrepreneurs starting up. Since their inception in 2006, they have accompanied over 140 promising female business-owners and recognized 44 Laureates.

It is interesting to note that in the 8 year CWIA history, the Laureates for Sub-Saharan Africa came from Nigeria in 2009, 2013 and 2014! Please find below a flyer for the Awards / Application.

The Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme
Deadline: 28 February 2015
Apply here: http://www.tonyelumelufoundation.org/teep/

The Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme is the flagship entrepreneurship programme of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, founded by visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist, Tony O. Elumelu, CON. Our goal is to create 10,000 businesses that can generate 1,000,000 new jobs and contribute at least $10 billion in annual revenues to the Africa economy. The programme is open to all citizens and legal residents of any one of the 54 African countries. The proposed business must operate in Africa.

The 7 Pillars of TEEP are:

- Mentoring
- Start-up Enterprise Toolkit
- Online Resources
- Boot-Camp
- Elumelu Entrepreneurship Forum
- Seed Capital Funding
- TEEP Alumni Network

The pillars have been designed to address the essential needs to ensure success for an African entrepreneur.

Wish you the best as you apply for these programs. 

Keep us updated on your successes!

Cheers everyone!

YouWin 4 is now Open - What you need to know #strikedanvil

First time I heard about #YouWin was during the second edition. I was skeptical at first but eventually submitted thinking, hey what do I have to lose. Ya geh didna win that one, nor did she win the third either. I got to stage two, went for that whole day training at LBS in Ajah but fell out in stage two... sob sob. Anyway, ya geh ain't giving up! For where. Lol. Not even now when I know so many winners from the different editions. I will just re-strategize and re-package, yes ke!

I was at the NASME (National association of small and medium enterprises) monthly meeting last week, when someone announced that applications for this edition have now opened, to my surprise some people are still of the opinion that is it all a scam. "Is it not government" they said, "they are just giving it to their friends and family" haaaa!! I struggled to close my hanging mouth. I can be skeptical sometimes about government, but if any thing, this is one thing I know that has been free and fair (can't say that much for some other things, still go and get your voters cards by the way).

This week on strike the anvil, I have decided to bring on two past beneficiaries of the #YouWin government grant. Trust me, you want to tune in for this one. Yes! Before you go about discouraging people from applying because its government. You will just be roasting when others are balling. Shio to you. 

So what would you like to know? For starters, I bet you want to ask how they won? What did they write sef (my thoughts, considering I am a serial applicant... hehe). What exactly is the government looking for? How has it been, post N10million!! Hey, you can ask whatever. 

Joining us are  +Modupe Nnebedum and the Marketing manager for  explore afrika who was part of the YouWin process with the founder from the start.

Modupe Olayemi Nnebedum (nee Fagbohun) is an Insurance and Human Resource Expert, Professional Photographer, Fashion Designer, Actress, Peer Educator, Business Woman, Wife and a proud Mother. (o ga ju!!)
She is a graduate of Insurance from Lag os State Polytechnic Ikorodu (LASPOTECH)after which she proceeded to Lagos State University (LASU) where she obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management majoring in Entrepreneurship. Never giving up in developing her skills in management, people and resources, she went on to pursue a Masters in Business Management (MBA) specializing in Human Resources from the same institution and Leadership skills from Daystar Leadership Academy where she bagged the recipient of the +Sam Adeyemi Award for finishing 1st overall in the Academy. Modupe is also a Member of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN).

She is currently the Chief Responsibility Officer (CRO) of  HARVEN23 VENTURES (H23), a Coconut company based in Lagos. They are into the production of Premium Virgin Coconut Oil, CocoSheaVera, Coconut Milk Soap, Desiccated Coconut, and Coconut Cream. In today contemporary times where eating and living healthy are becoming the major captions of media headlines, it became imperative for Harven23 to provide knowledge through its enlightenment campaign on the genuine benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil.

I have to share the story about how we met, but I'll do that on the show tomorrow :-)

http://exploreafrika.com.ng/

Explore Afrika is an online travel company based in Lagos, Nigeria. They provide clients with a platform to book, Flights, Hotels and Holiday packages over the internet via their website and offline in our offices.

Who else is excited about the show tomorrow? So make it a date with us on enterprise radio tomorrow, Tuesday 2nd of December (still can't believe we're in December) from 9am to 10am. Please interact with us, Call 09090000061, 09090000062 or tweet at us @eradiong with your questions and comments.

Cheers!