Deadline: September 2, 2013
Is your mobile app ready for the world? infoDev at the World Bank and CRDF Global have announced the VentureOut Challenge, a new initiative to propel expansion-ready mobile entrepreneurs and mobile apps into enticing international markets. Apply for the VentureOut challenge to stand the chance to win: $10,000 seed funding + Mentorship with mobile experts + travel to Dragon’s Den exposition in Chisinau, Moldova in October + Scholarship to attend TechCrunch’s Disrupt Europe.
The program will run from August to November 2013 and help hundreds of entrepreneurs through hands-ontraining, virtual learning opportunities, mentorship, international exposure, and seed funding. Entrepreneurs will come from 31 countries from the entrepreneurial ecosystems developed bysix local technology community partners located in six countries: Armenia, Kenya, Macedonia, Nigeria, Senegal,and South Africa.
Awards
- The top 9 entrepreneurs from the competition will receive mentorship and the chance to pitch at Dragon’s Den in Moldova, this October 30 – 31 for $10,000 in seed funding.
- One selected VentureOut entrepreneur will get scholarship to attend TechCrunch’s Disrupt Europe event in Berlin this October 26-29, 2013
- 18 semi-finalists will go through an Intrernationalization Webinar and Q&A
Eligibility
- To be eligible, applicants must be 18 years or older and able to both read and speak English proficiently
- The applicant must be affiliated with the following local partner organizations
- Nigeria – Co-Creation Hub
- Macedonia – Youth Entrepreneurial Service (YES) Foundation
- Senegal – CTIC Dakar
- South Africa – mLAB South Africa
- Applicants can also be residents or citizens of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina,Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo,Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Rwanda Senegal,Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Turkmenistan, Uganda,Ukraine or Uzbekistan.
- The applicant should be ready and available to present her/his technology idea or startup during training and business pitch presentations in Chisinau, Moldova on October 30-31, 2013.
The applicant must hold a valid passport and be eligible to travel to Chisinau, Moldovato participate in the workshop and pitch session if selected as a finalist. (Visas will be obtained by finalists).
Please apply here if your app matches the profile stated below:
- Venture is for-profit and less than three years old from date of launching startup
- Entrepreneur is interested in expanding their app into new geographies in the future
- Product or service is currently in a user testing stage, pilot stage, or available on the market
- Venture is either self-funded or has external financing (either from public or private sources)
- Mobile app ventures can be B2C, i.e. targeted towards retail distribution, for use on individual handsets; or B2B, i.e. enterprise solutions powered by or using or enhancing mobile technology.
For more information and to apply, click here.
