Women entrepreneurs innovate for agricultural transformation in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific

6 April 2018. The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), with the support of the African Development Bank (AfDB), in collaboration with the African Green Revolution Forum(AGRA), Women in Tech Africa, Wennovation Hub (Nigeria) and Suguba (regional), is launching Pitch AgriHack 2018. The theme for this year’s edition is “Women entrepreneurs innovate for agricultural transformation in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific”.

The competition is open to both male and female founders and co-founders of e-agri start-ups, and, more specifically, to companies owners of platforms (websites, apps, devices using software, etc.) offering digital services to the agricultural sector. 

Applicants need to be nationals and residents of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries signatories of the Cotonou Agreement (see list in the rules). 50% of finalists will be women founders or co-founders of start-ups; discussions at the final will include issues around strengthening engagement of young women in agricultural technology innovations. Applicants must be aged between 18 to 35 years old. The finale will be held during the 2018 edition of the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF 2018), organised by AGRA and other partners, in Rwanda in September 2018.

Pitch AgriHack will:

• provide a business training boot camp to selected start-ups
• conduct a pitching competition
• offer grants and facilitate access to investments, capacity building and promotional opportunities.

Key Dates

• Deadline for registration: 21 May 2018
• Announcement of finalist start-ups: by 15 July 2018
• Boot camp and pitching events (final): 03 to 07 September 2018 at AGRF 2018.