Post Summary
- Entries for Battlefield close Midnight on Wednesday February 5th 2014
- Only 7 startups will make it into the Academy & therefore the final Battlefield
- Battlefield Final is on Wednesday February 19th 2014
Introduction
On the 19th of February, 7 startups will throw it all down before a panel of judges, an enthusiastic audience of techies and investors at the very first TechCabal Battlefield. It will all be over in a few hours. But there is a longer journey leading up to that epic finale. For the benefit of the startups who want to compete and everyone else who’d like to get a sense of how this works, this will explain the entire process.
TechCabal Battlefield Timetable
- Entries Open – January 17th, 2014
- Entries Close – February 5th, 2014
- Academy Opens – February 12th, 2014
- Battlefield – February 19th, 2014
The Process
1. Entries
IMPORTANT: Registration ends on February the 5th at midnight To enter the Battlefield, you need to meet the following criteria:
- Your startup must not be more than 2 years old
- Your startup must not have received more than $200,000 in funding. You should apply if you have not received any funding at all
- Your startup must be based in Nigeria OR serve the Nigerian market OR have a Nigerian product
- You must have a working version of your product. It’s ok if you’ve not launched publicly as long as there’s a reasonable expectation you will launch within 3 months of the Battlefield
If you meet the criteria, click here to apply.
2. Selection
Once all the applications are in, an initial selection committee will trawl through the applications. The selection committee is taken from a wide pool of experts so that we ensure that we get many opinions and choose the best.
What are they looking for?
- Eligibility – is this startup eligible to enter as per the competition rules?
- ‘Investability’/Business Viability – is this something investors could back or would do well in the market?
- Idea – is the idea sound and timely?
- Market – is there a market for this product
- Founders – do they understand what they’re doing? are they the right people to tackle this?
- Execution till date – what has been done to move this idea forward? do you have a functional product, customers, revenue etc?
We have no particular preferences when it comes to funded startups vs non-funded startups. We’re only interested in results.
NB. If it is found out that any startup has misrepresented any facts in their application, they will immediately be disqualified. Startups may be contacted to clarify certain sections of their application so stay close to your phones and emails!
When the dust settles, only seven startups will remain and these go into the Academy.
3. The Academy
The Academy will help the Battlefield 7 put their best foot forward to the judges, investors, press and audience. They will help our startups think through their tech, product, business & presentation. The Academy consists of a one-day intensive training programme at Capital Square, Lagos as well as remote coaching with Academy members. Specifically, the Academy will help the startups think through their technology, product and business as well also teach the startups what investors are looking for in a pitch, how to impress judges and how to carry a presentation. They’ll also have their presentations reviewed and critiqued so that they are ready to make the very best impression on the world.
4. The Battlefield
After the Battlefield Academy, ready or yes, our 7 brave startups will each have to convince the judges why they deserve the $10,000 prize. We’re really excited to see which startups compete and which takes the prize. But the startups venture onto the Battlefield not just for riches…all 7 finalists will already have made Nigerian startup history. They certainly won’t be leaving the Battlefield the same way they came.
5. Prizes
All finalist startups will get:
- exposure in TechCabal and affiliate publications
- access to the prestigious VC4Africa Mentorship network
- comprehensive press exposure on TechCabal and our Battlefield media partners
First Prize winner will get
- $10,000
- Other gifts including data bundles and devices from Etisalat
- Joins the Battlefield media tour
- The Battlefield trophy
Second Prize winner will get
- $2,000
- Other gifts including data bundles and devices from Etisalat
Third Prize winner will get
- Gifts including data bundles and devices from Etisalat
In conclusion, TechCabal Battlefield’s purpose is as much about discovery as much as it is about rewarding startup savvy.
Participating is not just about winning money, it’s about getting your name out there. The gauntlet has been thrown down.
Will you accept the challenge? Apply Now
