FG launches Startup Nigeria to promote agribusiness

FINANCIAL WATCH: FG launches Startup Nigeria to promote agribusiness – The Federal Government has launched Startup Nigeria, a three-month incubation program designed to support local entrepreneurs with great innovative ideas to create viable products, go to market and gain traction.

Startup Nigeria is an intervention of the National Social Investment Program (NSIP) under the Office of the Vice President as part of the program to support private sector innovation hubs for the strategic increase of entrepreneurial and technological capacity across Nigeria.

The programme is aimed at any individual/ start-up with an idea or a solution in agriculture and governance in the North-Central region and commerce/FinTech in the South-Eastern region. It will provide training, mentorship and equity free funding to selected startups, with a specially curated curriculum designed specifically to help idea and early stage entrepreneurs find their footing and grow in Nigeria’s socio-economic terrain. Startup Nigeria gives founders the needed leverage to excel.

The curriculum is designed to help idea and early-stage entrepreneurs find their footing and grow within Nigeria’s ultra-competitive socio-economic terrain.

Final deadline for application for the programme, which covers training, mentorship and equity-free funding to selected start-ups in two geo-political zones of the country, is 5 May.

The zones cover 12 states including FCT targeting 20 start-ups across four sectors. The states are FCT, Benue, Plateau, Kwara, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Enugu, Imo, Anambra, Abia and Ebonyi.

Start-ups that miss out on being selected for the incubation programme can still access support in business model generation, customer acquisition and other business engineering skills from Startup Nigeria representatives. Those at the idea stage can also apply to participate in a hackathon that could secure them entry into the incubation programme, while those with MVP – Minimum Viable Product – in listed sectors can apply directly.

Startup Nigeria Incubation Program 2019 for Early-Stage Entrepreneurs. Apply for the Startup Nigeria program today for the opportunity to receive up to 2M naira in equity-free funding. The deadline for submission of applications is June 17, 2019.

Startup Nigeria Incubation Program 2019 for Early-Stage Entrepreneurs

Startup Nigeria is a 3-Month Incubation Program designed to support innovative idea-staged companies across Nigeria with funding, mentorship and trainings. The curriculum is specifically designed to move companies from ideas to viable products/services.

The Startup Nigeria Program gives Founders the needed leverage to excel with our specially designed curriculum to help idea and early-stage entrepreneurs find their footing and grow in Nigeria’s socio-economic terrain.

Startup Nigeria Incubation Program Eligibility.

• Open to startups in Nigeria (in the North West, North Central and South East geopolitical zones) that have a brilliant and innovative startup idea that they want to bring to fruition.

Startup Nigeria Incubation Program Benefits.

• Receive up to 2Million Naira in equity-free funding.
• The Startup Nigeria Program provides training that helps the companies to validate and justify their core idea and hypothesis and which help them in further building their services and products.
• The startups are provided with professional mentorship that aids in the growth of business and helps the entrepreneurs to succeed faster.
• The startups also receive funding to aid their idea to move forward and to support the act of fundraising in the future.

Startup Nigeria Incubation Program Timelines.

• Call for Application: The call for application stage commences from May 27 and ends on June 17, 2019
• Virtual Training: The next stage is the Virtual Training which starts in the first week of July (July 8) and ends on July 26, 2019.
• Virtual Training: The Incubation period goes on simultaneously with the Virtual Training. The Incubation stage starts from July 2 and ends on July 26, 2019.
• Pitch Bootcamp: The stage of the Pitch Bootcamp is scheduled for July 29 and 30.
• Demo Day and Post Program Support: The month of July is also booked for Demo Day while the months of August and September are for Post Program Support.

How to Apply for Startup Nigeria Incubation Program.

Interested candidates who meet the criteria listed above should apply by clicking on Apply