Global Tech Event in Africa

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The Biggest Startup Pitch Competition in Africa

USD $100,000 will be awarded to 5 category winners ($10,000 each) as well as one overall winner ($50,000).

What is the GITEX AFRICA Supernova Challenge Pitch Competition?

The GITEX AFRICA Supernova Challenge will be biggest pitch competition in Africa, and your opportunity to become the next unicorn!

With $100,000 total cash prize up for grabs, the GITEX AFRICA Supernova Challenge is the most anticipated pitch competition for entrepreneurs displaying groundbreaking innovations and highlighting their value in front of the world.

Who can apply, and how?

To enter the GITEX AFRICA Supernova Pitch competition, you will need to be one of the exhibiting startups attending GITEX AFRICA, 31 May - 2 Jun. The startups that apply for the competition will then be required to pitch their ideas, with the semi finalists being announced closer to the time of the event.

To become an exhibitor and to apply to the GITEX AFRICA Supernova Pitch Competition, follow the button below and fill out the form so that one of our team members can contact you directly.

 

HEAR FROM A PREVIOUS WINNER, MELANIN KAPITAL, FROM NORTH STAR DUBAI-EDITION

"Since participating in the 2022 Supernova Challenge, we have been steadily growing and expanding our reach. The prize fund has been incredibly helpful in supporting our piloting efforts to disburse our green asset financing to micro and small businesses in Kenya and has allowed us to take on new projects and partnerships."

Melanie Keita
Co-Founder & CEO
Melanin Kapital
Kenya

GITEX AFRICA Supernova Challenge: AFRICA Edition Categories

Participating startups at GITEX AFRICA can apply to the GITEX AFRICA Supernova Challenge in the below categories

Cybersecurity - $10,000

The startup’s product or service is in incident response, security protocol implementation to mitigate cyber threats, cyberattacks and data breaches across the sectors of BFSI, telecommunications and government.

AI and Digital Cities- $10,000

The winner is redefining AFRICA's public digital landscape, ensuring a brighter, more digitally inclusive future. The startup’s product or service explores the limitless possibilities of generative AI and showcases how the technology can drive growth and development across the continent.

Fintech and Blockchain - $10,000

The winner is a fintech startup transforming the financial landscape in AFRICA, from mobile money to blockchain-based platforms.

Healthtech - $10,000

The winner is leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as AI, wearables, and telemedicine to revolutionize healthcare delivery and improve patient outcomes.

Sustainability and Agritech - $10,000

The winner is utilizing technology to solve social challenges including energy and environmental fields, or showcasing a product or service in tech-enabled sustainable development.

Overall GITEX AFRICA Supernova Champion - $50,000

The winner will be based on the most innovative, creative and groundbreaking idea of all startups pitching at the GITEX AFRICA Supernova Challenge.

Pitch Competition Timeline

Final Application Deadline

12 May

Semi-Finalists Announced

19 May

Pitch Prep Online Webinar

22 May

Final Pitch Deck Submission Deadline for Selected Semi-Finalists

23 May

FAQs

Overall GITEX AFRICA Supernova Champion: $50,000 cash prize to selected overall winner
Winner per Category: $10,000 cash prize to selected winner per category

The team will be in touch regarding your cash prize and next steps 1 week after GITEX Africa 2023.

If you are not shortlisted, there are many opportunities to engage with investors and the wider GITEX Africa audience. We will be keeping a waitlist in case of any last-minute changes. Please note that we receive hundreds of applications per category and the shortlisting goes through multiple rounds of review to reach only a final 10 for the semi-finals and 2 for the finals.

To enter the GITEX AFRICA Supernova competition, you must be an Exhibiting Startup. If you are not, please contact GitexAfricaSales@dwtc.com

Step 1: Login in to the Exhibitor Portal with your personal login details. If you lost this, please email Gitex.Admin@dwtc.com

Step 2: Go to the “Marketing Zone” section from the top bar and navigate to the “Participate in GITEX AFRICA Supernova Challenge” form section on the left side of the menu

Step 3: Fill in the questions and uploads and click submit

The deadline to submit on the Exhibitor Portal is May 12th, 2023 by Morocco Midnight time. Any date changes will be announced.

Your Pitch Deck must be in ENGLISH.

Here are two good references for you:
https://slidebean.com/blog/pitch-deck-structure

Your Pitch Video must be ONLY 60 Seconds or it will not be considered.
We recommend to submit your Pitch Video in English.
Please shoot your Video to have a clear shot of your upper body (sitting or standing).
If your Pitch Video is in French, please include English subtitles.
Please submit your video by either a YouTube or a Vimeo URL.

Check out Paul Graham’s advice on story telling when pitching. Reference form Y Combinator Startup Library: “Your goal, and your only goal, is to make investors feel it’s not safe to cross you off. And there is a verb for convincing someone that something is not safe. It sounds dramatic, but your goal is to frighten them. What frightens them? The possibility that you might become really big. They know there are maybe a few companies that will become really big….Before you start meeting investors, put together a rough draft of your fundraising vertebrae. These are the 3-4 points that compromise the narrative of why your company will be really big. Together, if investors believed in any of these points, they’d be afraid not to bet on you. As you do, keep in mind that there is an important distinction between what the business is and how you tell the story of what your business is. Your conversations with investors should influence the latter, not the former. No investor knows your business as well as you do.”

The announcements of the shortlisted startups for the semi-finals will be done by May 19th, 2023 by Morocco Midnight time. Any date changes will be announced.

The general judging criteria is broken down to main areas. Please keep these in mind as you design your pitch deck, pitch video, and semi-finals, finals pitches!

  • Idea: How innovative is this idea?
  • Market Opportunity: Market Size, Competition, Scalability
  • Business Model: Revenue Model, Pricing, Target Customers
  • Traction: Any revenue, customers, investors?
  • Team: Is a skilled team in place for the startup’s success?

Judges will also be considering your years of operation and funding stage when evaluating.

The judging panels for all categories of GITEX AFRICA Supernova will be experts in the respective sectors and will be a diverse panel with investment, commercial, and entrepreneurial background in the sector.

3 Minute Pitch + 2 Min Q&A

At the Elevate Stage at GITEX Africa. Find it on the venue map.

Only 1 person can deliver the pitch on stage.

You will be notified by email that you have been shortlisted including the details to attend a GITEX AFRICA Supernova Pitch Prep online session which is taking place on May 22nd , 2023 (1 week before GITEX Africa). Any date changes will be announced.

Your selection email will include the category you’ve been selected to pitch in, location and timing, and presentation requirements.

You will need to have your pitch presentations in 16:9 ratio as a Powerpoint file and a PDF file version. Please share PDFs to make sure your presentation has your correct fonts and formats. If you have any videos as part of your pitch, please send the video file in .mp4 as a separate file. You will be submitting these files by email ONLY if you are shortlisted for the semi-finals and finals which you will be notified about before. Please do not send any files to team members prior to this besides what is required on the Exhibitor portal for the GITEX AFRICA Supernova application.

The team will be in touch if you are shortlisted to move on to the finals. All selection will be made by Day 2 in order to be ready for the Finals on Day 3. Your selection email will include the presentation requirements, location, and timing.

2 Startups are selected per category to pitch in the finals on Day 3.

4 Minute Pitch + 2 Min Q&A per startup

At the 10X stage at GITEX Africa on June 2nd (Day 3). Finalists will receive all the logistics details by Day 2 to know where to go and when.

The judging panels for all categories of GITEX AFRICA Supernova will be experts in the respective sectors and will be a diverse panel with investment, commercial, and entrepreneurial background in the sector.