Seedstars World is Coming to Douala to Find the Most Promising Seed Stage Tech Startup in Cameroon

Douala, Cameroon- Seedstars World, the global seed-stage startup competition for emerging markets and fast-growing startup scenes is coming for the very first time to Cameroon.

With the support of our local ambassador ActivSpaces and our regional partners Enel, Merck, Orange and Microsoft 4Afrika, Seedstars World will be holding a dynamic pitch event on September 29th at ActivSpaces. In line with its mission to place the spotlight on entrepreneurs from emerging markets, Seedstars World is travelling to more than 75 countries this year to identify the best seed-stage entrepreneurs and provide them with an opportunity to win up to USD 1,000,000 while networking with investors and mentors from around the world. Its previous participants have raised over USD 61M collectively, providing employment to more than 800 employees worldwide.

The companies selected to pitch at Seedstars Douala need to be less than 2 years old, have raised less than USD 500 000 in funding and have built a minimum viable product, ideally with existing traction. The Seedstars World team is searching for one additional criterion - the startup’s regional and global scalability. With a strong network of international partners such as Enel Green Power, BBVA, Merck, TRECC and Standard Bank, Seedstars World is looking for smart startups that solve regional issues and develop profitable products for the global market to support their regional businesses and growth.

In order to provide local entrepreneurs with this opportunity and deliver the best possible event, Seedstars World is closely working with ActivSpaces, who is representing the initiative throughout the year. “From our vibrant Silicon Mountain in Buea to the electric coastal city of Douala, the tech scene in Cameroon has been growing at an exceptional rate. In addition, ActivSpaces is very proud to be hosting the first Seedstars competition in the country. This is a great opportunity for our entrepreneurs to display their talents, creativity and innovations." Explains Steve Tchoumba, Business Development Manager of ActivSpaces."

“Seedstars World is a platform connecting investors to the next generation of startup entrepreneurs, giving them an opportunity to scale their solutions regionally and globally." says Anis Kallel, Associate at Seedstars World. "Every year, we try to add more countries to our map, and prove that talent is truly everywhere. This year, we are coming to Cameroon for the first time, and we are excited to work closely with entrepreneurs and identify the role that Seedstars can play to support the local ecosystem in the future."

Up to 10 of the best seed stage startups in Cameroon will be invited to pitch for the opportunity to compete at the Seedstars Summit, that annually takes place in Switzerland. At the same time, Seedstars World is also working very closely with Enel Green Power to source the most innovative business models in the energy sectors and ones that are fostering socio-economic development in rural villages in Africa. Up to 5 best startups in this sector will be invited for an exclusive RES4Africa networking event taking place later this November in Nairobi and compete for an Africa Energy Prize which consists of a financial contribution and a three-month acceleration programme for a total value of up USD 50,000.

Applications are open for a few more days, and startups can apply here: https://www.seedstarsworld.com/event/SSW-Douala-17 by September 22th.  

All the local winners will be invited to the regional summit, which will take place in Maputo Mozambique on December 14th. A limited number of super early bird tickets are available, and you can find them here: https://www.seedstarsworld.com/event/seedstars-africa-2017 to meet with startups, mentors and investors from over 20 African countries.