Deadline: November 15, 2019
Applications are open for the ygap Kenya Accelerator Program 2020. The ygap accelerator programs aim to back impact entrepreneurs – or as they like to call them ‘local leaders’ – who have solutions to local problems in some of the world’s toughest communities. The program will consist of a five-day live-in accelerator followed by three to six months of tailored support.
Rather than imposing their perceived solutions on a foreign community, ygap supports these local leaders who live there and have developed their own. Meaning ygap’s role is simply help refine and scale their solutions.
They do this in three stages
- Accelerate: The selected startups go through a one week live-in accelerator where their business models are strengthened and they are equipped with the tools they need to turn their startups into viable ventures.
- Support: After the accelerator they provide strategy and business mentorship, marketing support, legal and accounting help and access to small grants.
- Grow: The most impactful ygap entrepreneurs will move into growth, where they access larger support and funding to grow their ventures.
Eligibility
They are looking for
- Entrepreneur: They believe the best solutions to poverty are entrepreneurial, so they focus on early stage ventures that exist to improve access to education or healthcare, create jobs or build safer homes.
- Local: You’re a local of the area who intimately understands the problems that you are trying to solve.
- Early Stage: You will have already launched a venture or run a pilot and have some early traction or proof of concept. You will typically have less than 10 customers or clients and have been in operation less than two years.
- Ventures that are improving lives: At the end of the day, they exist to improve the lives of people living in poverty. If you believe your venture is improving the lives of people living in poverty, they encourage you to apply.
If you’re a founder of an early stage venture aimed at improving the lives of people living in tough conditions, they want to hear from you! If you don’t hit all of these criteria perfectly, they still encourage you to apply as you may still be considered!
Application
For more information, visit ygap Accelerator.
