09 Jun Startup Mzansi partners with Annual Investment Meeting and UAE ministry of economy to launch a premier virtual pitching competition for South African high growth startups
The search for South Africa’s Startup Champion is on!
Johannesburg – (June 08, 2020) The Startup Mzansi Foundation, the organisers of the Annual Investment Meeting (Dubai), the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Economy and Under the Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, have partnered to create the South African leg of the Annual Investment Meeting Virtual Pitch Competition.
On the 30th June 2020, Startup Mzansi will be hosting South Africa’s National Virtual Pitch Competition for Startups. Each of the top 10 startups who will be chosen to pitch will be given 5 minutes to present their pitch decks and business models and the jury, consisting of some of South Africa’s prominent business professionals, will be scoring each startup based on preset criteria. The startup with the most points after their pitch will be crowned South Africa’s Startup Champion and will be given a fully sponsored trip to attend and compete at the Global Startup Champions stage during the Annual Investment Meeting in Dubai. This will include flight tickets accommodation, and a free exhibition booth / kiosk.
In its 10th year, the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) – dubbed the World’s leading investment platform – was initially scheduled to take place on the 24 – 26 March 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates under the theme “Investing for the Future: Shaping Global Investment Strategies” but due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Outbreak, the event is being rescheduled for the last quarter of the year, pending developments with regards to the pandemic.
AIM continues its Global Prominence as a Credible Investment Platform. Its Ninth edition attracted over 16,000 Participants, 66 High-Level Dignitaries, 436 Exhibitors and Co-Exhibitors, 150 Investment and Economics Experts, and 256 Local and International Media. AIM brought together High-Ranking Officials from the Government, International Organizations, Leading Investors, Academics, Chambers of Commerce, Industrial and Economic Zones, Financial Institutions, SWFs, Pension Funds, Family Offices, Legal and Financial Institutions, SMEs and Startups from 143 Countries.
AIM 2020 will have a Wide Economic Scope to encompass Five Main Pillars of the Economy – Foreign Direct Investment, Small and Medium Enterprises, Startups, Future Cities, Foreign Portfolio Investment and its Special Event One Belt One Road, aimed at linking Sustainable Investment Opportunities for Global Economic Growth. As the South African National Partner for AIM 2020, Startup Mzansi will be responsible for hosting the South African leg of the Virtual Pitch Competion.
AIM Startups Virtual Pitch Competition
A series of virtual pitch competitions happening in 80 different countries, in partnership with startup programs, will be staged online to discover startups with huge potential. One winner of each national virtual pitch competition will be invited to be a part of the final AIM 2020 Global Startups Champions League
Key Categories
• Growth
• Social impact category
• Best use of innovation category
• Climate and environmental impact category
• Privacy, data protection and compliance
Key Sectors
• HealthTech
• Logistics
• IT and ICT
• IoT
• RetailTech
• Energy
• Virtual Reality and Gaming
• Transportation
• Agtech
• Fintech
• EdTech
• Artificial Intelligence
• And more
How it works?
- Startup Teams register at www.aimcongress.com/roadshow/Profile/Register/
- During the first stage, our team of startup experts and consultants will evaluate the application based on a preset criterion
- Based on internal evaluations, 10 finalists are chosen and invited to South Africa’s National Virtual Pitch for a professional jury round where our exclusive professionals and investors evaluate their startups.
- The winner is chosen based on the scores they receive from our professional jury at an exclusive live final to held remotely via a digital platform
Why Participate?
- Entrants stand a chance to win a trip valued at over R100,000 to compete for the Crown of Global Startup Champion during the Annual Investment Meeting in Dubai
- Finalists will also get feedback and may even get Private Mentoring on top of being hosted in Dubai
- An opportunity to be featured at 250 media partners across the world
- Opportunity to meet some of the best UAE and Global Investors
Important Dates
08.06.2020 – Interested Startups are invited to apply at www.aimcongress.com/roadshow/Profile/Register/
12.06.2020 – Official announcement of the Jury who will evaluate entries
22.06.2020 – Last day for Entries for South African Startups
26.06.2020 – Announcement of top 10 Finalists who will participate on the Grand Final
30.06.2020 @ 12:00PM SAST – South Africa Grand Final and Crowning of South African Startup Champion
Founder of the Startup Mzansi Foundation, Mr. Sandile Shabangu, believes that this platform is “an answer to an increasingly bigger delaying that’s threatening us in the evolution of the South African startup ecosystem.” Within the initiative, the most important stakeholders connect and promise to continue co-creating the modern startup ecosystem with all their knowledge, will, vision, and social responsibility.
If you would like to collaborate or partner with us, kindly send us an email via hello@startupmzansi.org.za or call Mr. Sandile Shabangu on 079 761 6308. To learn more about the work and future plans of Startup Mzansi, please visit www.startupmzansi.org.za
About Annual Investment Meeting:
Annual Investment Meeting (AIM), the World’s Leading Investment Platform in the Middle East and North Africa, will hold its 10th at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Under the theme ‘Investing for the Future: Shaping the Global Investment Strategies’, AIM will gather high-ranking government officials, decision makers, corporate leaders, policy makers, businessmen, regional and international investors, entrepreneurs, leading academics and investment experts to address the global challenges of securing viable investment aimed at contributing to economic growth.
AIM has evolved from assisting emerging economies to attract FDIs. On its 10th edition, AIM will embrace a bigger challenge of enabling economic growth through its five pillars – FDIs, Startups, Future Cities, SMEs, Foreign Portfolio Investment, and special event One Belt and One Road.AIM 2019 saw the participation of over 16,000 visitors, 436 exhibitors and co-exhibitors, 66 high-level dignitaries, more than 150 experts and investment specialists, and 143 country representations.AIM is an initiative of the UAE Ministry of Economy and is under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai. Learn more at www.aimcongress.com
About Startup Mzansi Foundation
Startup Mzansi is a unique grassroots entrepreneur-led movement that aims to enhance the country’s competitiveness and prosperity through uniting and strengthening South Africa’s entrepreneurship ecosystem. We are promoting and cultivating a vibrant entrepreneurial culture to create a unified brand as a rallying point for young entrepreneurs in the country.
Startup Mzansi is committed to connecting, strengthening and giving a voice to South Africa’s entrepreneurship community through online platforms, publications, cross-sector initiatives, and opportunities to recognize exemplary performance and outstanding impact in advancing entrepreneurship. For more information about what we do, future plans, and how you can be involved, please see www.startupmzansi.org.za
— end —
No Comments