Deadline: March 20, 2015
The GIST Tech-I Competition is an annual competition for science and technology entrepreneurs from emerging economies worldwide. Aspiring innovators submit their ideas and startups online in an application consisting of an executive summary and promotional video. Their applications are then reviewed by experts and voted on by the global voting public in order to determine the finalists.
Eligibility
- You must be a citizen of a GIST eligible country;
- You must be between the ages of 18-40 years old ;
- Your application must be written in English;
- Your promotional video must be in English or have English subtitles provided.
Note: Your idea or startup can be an invention, a product, a service, an app, any combination of these, or something entirely unique.
Benefits
- all-expense paid trip to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), this year in sub-Saharan Africa, to showcase their ventures and to receive intensive training.
- win mini-grants,
- Training and mentorship with successful entrepreneurs, scientists, angel investors, and venture capitalists;
- Networking opportunities; and
- Access to capital.
How to Apply
Once you have established that you are eligible to apply, you will next need to get together a few promotional materials for your application including:
- An Executive Summary The Executive Summary narrative must be completed online in the application tool, must not exceed 750 words, and must be written in English. It should include the information outlined in the Program Announcement which includes significance of idea, scientific and technical merit, and commercial potential. Further details can be found here; and
- A 90 Second Promotional Video Each application must include a 90 second promotional video, which should highlight the value and purpose of the product or service to customers. The video must be presented by the applicant in English or include English subtitles. The video should focus on the concept, product, or service being promoted and its potential market value. This is your opportunity to really sell your idea so your video should be both engaging and creative. Further advice can be found here. Videos from last year’s startup and idea stage winners are also available to use as examples.
- Sign-up & Apply here
During the application, you will be asked several questions including whether you are submitting an Idea or Startup science and technology product, research, or service. The following criteria should be applied to help you to decide which category you fit in:
Idea Stage Application
- The entrepreneur has research or a technology with commercialization potential and is willing to start a business.
- The entrepreneur has started thinking about the qualifications of the management team necessary to execute the idea.
- The entrepreneur has started to identify advisors.
- The entrepreneur has started market research.
Startup Stage Application
- Venture is for-profit and less than three years old from date of launching startup.
- Product or service is currently in a testing or pilot stage and not yet available for commercial release.
- Venture is either self-funded (revenue) or has external financing (either from public or private sources).
Assistance with Application Process
The Tech-I team will also be hosting a series of webinars to assist you in the application process and the time and dates for these are:
- Wednesday Feb 25, 9:00am US EST
Topic – Is Tech-I for me? What is Tech-I? - Wednesday Mar 4, 9:00am US EST
Topic – How to make a promotional video - Wednesday Mar 18, 9:00am US EDT
Topic – Advice on how to complete your proposal
Sign up for upcoming webinars here.
For more information, visit GIST Tech-I Competition or FAQ page.
