Deadline: Jun 16, 2014
Applications are now invited for the CURAD Agribusiness Innovation Challenge 2014 with the aim of helping the Ugandan agriculture to a new level. The CURAD Agribusiness Innovation Challenge is open to Ugandan citizens who are involved in agricultural production and the adding of value to agricultural products.
The Challenge is an opportunity to present business cases to support investment in commercializing or expanding businesses to promote the growth of food processing and exports. The aim is to provide winning businesses with incubation support and start-up or expansion capital to enable entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector to thrive and benefit the Ugandan people and economy.
The categories of the 2014 Challenge are split between those that are sector-focused and those that are people-focused. The people-focused categories in which applicants can compete will include Best Start-up Enterprise and Best Established Enterprise. Winners will also be selected from categories acknowledging the Best Woman, Best Youth, and Best Green entrepreneurs.
Sector-focused categories will include those that are specifically associated with the coffee industry. There will be three areas of competition:
- Best New Product,
- Best New Processing Technology,
- Best New Coffee Derivative.
Benefits:
- The Microsoft award includes:
- BizSpark membership for winners in the ICT and Best Start-up categories, equivalent to USD $10,000 to six winners (approximately $60,000) in licensed technologies over three years
- 4Afrika funding for qualifying businesses, evaluated based on merit and need in each case
- First place winners in the IT-related categories will receive a Windows 8-enabled laptop
- First place winners in the remaining categories will receive a Windows 8-enabled mobile device
- The Uganda Telecom award includes:
- A cash prize of UGX 15,000,000 to the most outstanding First Place winner
- For all Second place winners, a fully connected mobile device to help them in their business and link them to the UTL network and airtime worth UGX 600,000 each for one year
- The award fromDeloitte Uganda Limitedincludes:
- Deloitte will provide business strategycoaching and mentorship to winners from the “Best New Coffee Shop/Trade Idea” and “Best New Product” categories through its business consulting division.
- Trias will offer a special award to those entrepreneurs who present a winning business case to establish a beekeeping operation on their coffee farm. This has the effect of increasing income to the farmer and providing a source of pollination of the coffee trees. Trias will facilitate access to financial and technical support through its partner, Tuneda, which provides the overall beekeeping model.
- B Space will offer winning entrepreneurs in the Best Youth Enterprise and Best Start-up categoriesan opportunity to participate in their incubation programmes. In addition, after entrepreneurs receive their business incubation and coaching support, they will further facilitate selected entrepreneurs to approach and pitch their businesses to the right financial partners and investors in their network.
- FinAfrica will provide selected winners that meet their business readiness requirements with business incubation in terms of office infrastructure, business skills training as well as advisory and mentorship services for their future business development. They will help prepare winners to build investor-ready business cases and facilitate access to finance for eligible entrepreneurs.
Eligibility:
- Open to Ugandan citizens who are involved in agricultural production
Judging criteria:
The entries will be reviewed and judged according to the following criteria:
- Potential to create jobs
- Future growth potential of the business
- Viability and sustainability of the business idea
- Market opportunities and competitiveness
- Innovativeness, uniqueness and attractiveness of the venture
Application process:
- Applicants will have to register here to apply.
For more information, click CURAD 2014 Agribusiness Competition for Ugandans
