WHAT IS AFRICA VENTURES?
Take your ideas to a new level
Africa VENTURES 2022 is an 8 week incubation program that equips potential entrepreneurs in Africa through practical lessons and mentorship on developing and transforming ideas/plans into profitable ventures.
We believe that young people have the power to change the world. Our approach is centered on a 360 resourcing: ideation business planning, training, mentorship and funding for promising ideas. Our programs help youth develop the skills and confidence to become innovative and powerful influencers of change and the next wave of leaders in social entrepreneurship! Currently, we offer two youth centered programs:
Section A: Entrepreneur candidates who want to build their original business.
Section B: CxOs* candidates of African branch office of Japanese Corporations.
We support match up applicants to create strong founder-team in complementing each other.
Teams selected on Demo Day will receive further hands-on support including funding, mentoring and office space.
CATEGORIES OF FOCUS
SUSTAINABLEECOSYSTEM
Aim for circulation of both environment and economy including growth of primary industries.
#Agriculture, #Forestry, #Fishing, #Sustainability, #Renewable energy, #Decarbonization,#CO2 reduction, #Energy saving, #Logistics, #Water source protection, #Wildlife conservation, #Food loss reduction,
WELL-BEING& HEALTH
Increase the number of individuals who are healthy both physically and mentally.
#Healthcare, #Medical, #Prevention, #Pre-illness, #Mental health, #Nursing care, #Home medical care, #Countermeasures against declining birthrate, #Regenerative medicine, #Femtech, #Baby tech,
NEWNEIGHBORHOOD
Build new connections of people, support their mutual aid either online and offline.
#Sharing, #Matching platform, #Regional revitalization, #Social care, #Movement, #Mobility, #Disaster prevention, #Fintech, #Gov-tech,
LIFELONGWORK＆LEARNING
Create new style of work or learning in the VUCA*age. *Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity.
#Diversity, #Reinstatement support, #Work style reform, #Recurrent education, #Side business support, #Entrepreneurship support, #Edtech, #HRtech, #Crowdsourcing, #Multi-base life
ARTS & CULTUREREINVENTION
Contribute to the world of excitement through development of arts and creative activities.
#Soft power, #Cultural diplomacy, #Artist in residence, #Traditional crafts, #Inbound, #Tourism business, #Sixth industrialization, #Add value, #Polite living,
SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEM
Aim for circulation of both environment and economy including growth of primary industries.
#Agriculture, #Forestry, #Fishing, #Sustainability, #Renewable energy, #Decarbonization,#CO2 reduction, #Energy saving, #Logistics, #Water source protection, #Wildlife conservation, #Food loss reduction,
WELL-BEING & HEALTH
Increase the number of individuals who are healthy both physically and mentally.
#Healthcare, #Medical, #Prevention, #Pre-illness, #Mental health, #Nursing care, #Home medical care, #Countermeasures against declining birthrate, #Regenerative medicine, #Femtech, #Baby tech,
NEW NEIGHBORHOOD
Build new connections of people, support their mutual aid either online and offline.
#Sharing, #Matching platform, #Regional revitalization, #Social care, #Movement, #Mobility, #Disaster prevention, #Fintech, #Gov-tech,
LIFELONG WORK＆LEARNING
Create new style of work or learning in the VUCA*age. *Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity.
#Diversity, #Reinstatement support, #Work style reform, #Recurrent education, #Side business support, #Entrepreneurship support, #Edtech, #HRtech, #Crowdsourcing, #Multi-base life
ARTS & CULTURE REINVENTION
Contribute to the world of excitement through development of arts and creative activities.
#Soft power, #Cultural diplomacy, #Artist in residence, #Traditional crafts, #Inbound, #Tourism business, #Sixth industrialization, #Add value, #Polite living,
WHAT WE OFFER (BENEFITS)
Founder Team Creation
We support matching up applicants to create strong founder-team that complement each other. We consider; skills preferences, interests, character and compatibility (changes can be made during the program).
Accompanied Mentoring
Experts with 0 ->1 business development experience will accompany the team, through regular weekly meeting, replies within 24 hours, etc. You’ll get ready to be an entrepreneur by end of the program.
Support of User Testing
The most important factor for business development is user insight (users’ inconvenience/unsatisfied/dislike, etc.).
We offer opportunities to access potential customers, (interviewing, testing experiments) and support for mock-up production as needed.
Lectures & Workshops
Workshops and lectures, to equip participant with fundamentals on business planning.
Topics covered include; idea creation; UX and solution development; business model; marketing; finance strategies; company formation; organization expansion strategies; etc.
Ultimate Practical Lessons
For two months, you will experience proceeding with business development and verification at high speed through input in lectures and mentoring and output of user surveys and demonstrations. “Practice” is the best opportunity to learn business development and business.
Business Network
Your network will be expanded, including mentors, judges (investors and entrepreneurs), experts, and other teams in the program. There are cases where a corporation was established by using its network after the program was completed even they didn’t won on Demo Day.
30,000 USD funds
We will support a total of 30,000 US dollars in commercialization funds for selected teams on Demo Day. We will also introduce investors and subsidies, and provide funding advice as needed (Use of money is only limited for business development).
Office and Continuous Support
Teams selected on Demo Day will receive further detailed and hands-on support until commercialization. (this includes funding, mentoring and office space.
Africa VENTURES is not only a business contest, but responsible for building startups and startup ecosystem in solving social issues.
2 SECTIONS
Build 0 to 1 startup business in Kenya.
All you need is an idea to make a better world. We train you up as entrepreneurs and get ready to startup new business.
Build Africa Branch Office of Japanese
We train up you as entrepreneurs and assign you to be CxOs (CEO and founders) of Africa Branch Office of Japanese corporations in Kenya.
Africa VENTURES
Schedule
The application deadline is January 5, 2022. Applicants will be interviewed and selected as applied. Selected teams (sometimes matched by the organizer)will be announced on January 15, 2022.
Kick-off of Africa VENTURES will be hold on Saturday, January 22. Each team will proceed with idea creation and business verification through two month program. After mid-term workshop on Feb. 26 & 27, Demo Day will be hold on March 26. Teams who won on Demo Day will receive further hands-on support including funding, mentoring and office space.
Calling for Applicants
Deadline: Jan. 15, 2022
- Application Form
- Online interview
- Might match up applicants
Kick Off!
Jan. 22, 2022
- Meet all the applicants
- Lectures and workshops
- Keynote from a startup CEO
Mid-term Workshop
Feb. 26&27, 2022
- Pitch training
- Progress Report
- More Lectures & Workshops
DEMO DAY
Mar. 26, 2022
- Pitch event for business plans
- Judgement to chose teams to establish business
MENTORS
Taka Nakamura
CEO, taliki Co., Ltd.
Hiro Matsumoto
CEO, Domanda Co., Ltd.
Shin Nuriya
Head of Investment for Patience Capital Group
Marina Nishizawa
Business Dev, Google Japan
Toru Urasawa
Business Dev, Re:teigi,Inc
WHY CAN WE DO THIS?
Africa VENTURES is a Joint program of Social Incubator in Japan and Afrika Transition Hub in Kenya aim to build startups and startup ecosystem focusing on solving social issues.
Africa VENTURES by the Numbers
300
Teams Supported
10000
Students Lectured
30
Startups Invented
100
Mentors Network
JUDGES
阿久津 靖子
株式会社MTヘルスケアデザイン研究所 代表AgingJapan 代表Aging 2.0Tokyo chapter Ambassador
津田塾大学学芸学部国際関係学科卒業。1982年筑波大学大学院理科系修士環境科学研究科で地域計画を学びその後修了ＧＫインダストリアルデザイン研究所入社。
プロダクト製品開発のためコンセプトプランニング・博覧会コンセプトプランニングや街づくり基本計画に携わる。その後、会社数社にて商品企画開発（MD）および研究、店舗の立ち上げ、マネジメントを行い、2012年ヘルスケアに特化したデザインリサーチファームとして（株）MT ヘルスケアデザイン研究所を創業。Aging Innovation 創出のためにはDesign thinking の重要性を痛感し、2017年、AgingJapanを立ち上げる。
齋藤 茂樹
エス・アイ・ピー株式会社代表パートナーSIP Global Partners Co-founder & Managing Partner
東京大学経済学部卒業後、民営化一期生として NTTに入社。インターネットに触れNTTを退社、 米国マサチューセッツ工科大学(MIT)スローン スクールにてハイテクベンチャーの経営を学び MBA取得。米国ネットスケープ・コミュニケー ションズでインターネット黎明期にブラウザーと ポータル・ビジネスを統括。(株)デジタルガレージ では、大企業とともに新規事業を立ち上げる手法 「スポンサード・インキュベーション」を開発。 公開期の中心メンバーで公開後は代表取締役とし て(株)カカクコムほかグループ事業全般を担当。 現在は、エス・アイ・ピー株式会社代表取締役パートナー及びアメリカを中心にベンチャー企業を投資するSIP Global Partnersの共同創業者&Managing Partnerとしてハイテクを中心に投資活動をクロス ボーダーに展開中。
牧野 成将
株式会社Monozukuri Ventures 代表モノづくり起業 推進協議会 会長
2005年フューチャーベンチャーキャピタル(株)、2009年(財)京都高度技術研究所、2011年(株)サンブリッジにて「GVH Osaka」の立ち上げやIT分野のシードステージ企業への投資を行う。2015年8月、京都試作ネット等の日本の中小企業と連携してハードウェアスタートアップの試作支援を行う株式会社Darma Tech Labs(現Monozukuri Ventures)を創業。2017年7月にハードウェア/IoTスタートアップの試作と投資を行う国内初のファンド「MBC Shisakuファンド(20億円強)」を設立して日本・アメリカのハードウェアスタートアップに投資を行う。
NEWS LETTER
We will inform you about news and updates of Africa VENTURES and related events.
Our Partners
