Deadline: January 29, 2021
Applications are open for the MADE IN RWANDA – Africa Blockchain Incubation Program 2021. This is a structured Incubator Program focused on grooming the African Blockchain StartUps. This time, the theme will be focused on: “MADE IN RWANDA,” to spark creativity and ideas implementation around Distributed Ledger Technologies, currently missing or insufficiently present in the Local Innovation and Entrepreneurship Landscape.
The Incubation Program will support and develop these solutions-turn-to-StartUps in growing their business, strengthening their commercial viability and increasing their competitiveness in domestic and international markets. Ultimately placing Africa as not only a technology recipient, but also a major actor.
The Incubation Program consists of the following core elements:
- Exclusive Workshops and Trainings.
- Mentoring Program.
- Business Coaching.
- Demo Day.
Focus Areas
- Healthcare: Currently, we are in the era of Pandemic COVID-19, and Africa is lacking when it comes to keeping Health records, and solving counterfeit Pharmaceutical supplies. This is really affecting negatively health cases on the continent, but with a Blockchain solution, these problems can be reduced, plus building infrastructure supports for the distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines.
- Agriculture: Commodity trading is very important for farmers, especially in most parts where they have been deprived their profits, and benefits, from their hard labour. Through a Blockchain based Commodity platform, this problem amongst others can be solved.
- e-Commerce: Solving the problems around e-Commerce is enormous from payment, to deliveries, inventory, amongst other. Now, being a growing sector in the economy, building a Blockchain solution to solve these problems will greatly bring more revenue, and seamless services.
- eSporting: Blockchain in Sports enhance fan interaction, streamline existing operations, and provide new revenue models. They raised this focus area, using local sporting teams as case study. Many people most times ignore them due to several reasons, but with the Blockchain Technology it opens up more opportunity for both the team, and fans, gearing more interest, and re-establishing the trust.
- Financial Inclusion: The current challenges of traditional payment gateways possess more threats to businesses, also excluding others from access to financial services. With Blockchain Technology, that gap can be bridged with decentralized solutions.
Benefits
- At the end of the incubation period, participants will have built a StartUp, access to align partners for possible proof of concept co-design, and being connected with investments.
Eligibility
They are looking for ambitious individuals that are forward thinking, innovative, and ready to take up challenges in creating the next Big Thing. These individuals must be dedicated, and committed to the project, hardworking, and with strong backgrounds in computer science (with expertise in languages such as C++, Javascript, Python, and Solidity is an asset), mathematics, statistics, business/entrepreneurship, economics, cryptography, blockchain, and any other related fields.
More specifically:
- A Citizen of the Republic of Rwanda
- Priorities are given to Female Applicants.
- Ages: 20 – 35 years.
- Both idea stage and early-stage (1 year) companies are encouraged to apply.
- Strong business case and market potential.
Application
After filling out the application, you will receive a confirmation email with all the responses you have submitted. If you do not receive a confirmation within 60 minutes of submitting the form, then contact: [email protected].
For more information, visit Africa Blockchain Incubation Program.
