The SAIS Investment Readiness Programme (IRP) offers you a yearlong, tailor-made support programme to raise investments and scale up your business! Precondition is that your tech startup registered in Africa, works in Africa, and offers scalable, market-based solutions for agriculture, food or climate change. The Programme is available in English and French.

Benefits

  • Sessions of personalized coaching with local and international experts. These are tailored to your specific needs to develop and implement strategies for rapid growth.
  • Access to individual online trainings structured around several key themes to develop your startup further, e.g., pitch training, growth strategy, data analytics & management, term sheet, valuation, market analysis, marketing & sales.
  • Access to additional services. To optimize certain key areas of your business we hold a specific budget that can cover, e. g. legal advice, online marketing, digital product optimization, design, coding and travel costs to conferences.
  • Integrating you into ecosystems. They offer you the opportunity of using a local hub or office space, connect you with peers and support you in increasing your visibility and facilitate contacts with major players in the local, regional and international startup ecosystems.
  • Access to their investor and partner network. By being part of our programme, you will be given the opportunity to meet the right people on regional, national, and international level to scale your business, either through potential investments or business partnerships.
  • Add-on: Programme for Female Leaders. In addition to the above-mentioned,we offer special support for female founders and women in leading positions of the startups through networking and peer to peer learning as well as increased visibility.

Eligibility

  • You must be registered and operate in Africa. You must provide a certificate of registration.
  • You must have a team of at least two people who work ideally full time for the startup. Your founding and management team should have entrepreneurial and technical experience in their area of operation.
  • You must have a viable digital product or service that positively impacts society. Your product must have a positive impact on the African AgTech or FoodTech sector, we specifically welcome applications from the livestock sector (vertical sectors that have an influence can be accepted like ClimateTech, eCommerce, FinTech, Logistics, EdTech, others).
  • You must have launched your digital product at least six months before you submit your application. Your startups must provide evidence of traction (customer base, first revenue).
  • Your startup should have an understandable and convincing business model. This includes a clear statement of the problem, clear digital solution, clear customer segment, and clear revenue stream.
  • Additionally (not musts)
    • You are a female founder, or your team has women in high management positions.
    • You or one of your founding team members has an IT background.
    • You and your founding team members have previous startup experience.
    • Your product targets a vulnerable group of customers.

How To Apply

Apply online on or before October 20, 2023. Start early with the process and pay attention to your video pitch (max. 2 minutes) and pitch deck.

You can apply in English or in French

For more information, visit Sais Investment Programme.

Deadline for Submission: October 20, 2023