What would you do if you were given free money for your business? Grants give the beneficiaries peace of mind to be able to build their businesses. They are an act of philanthropy and aim to inspire and or grow those who benefit from the funding. Jack Ma, the Founder of Alibaba had a humble beginning and rose to become one of the most influential business moguls in China. Because of the inspiration he drew from African enterprises and the similarities in business environment, 100 businesses will share $10 million grant over a decade through the Africa Netpreneur Prize. Applicants have until 30th June, 2019 to seek a share in this year’s $ 1million Prize. There are many grant opportunities on the continent, each looking to support the entrepreneur in their own unique way. For Jack, his inspiration is to give a one-year runway to entrepreneurs who put effort towards building their business, so they think more about expansion than the actual search for capital. Looking at many high-ranking entrepreneurs in the continent, they invest heavily in visions they believe in. In order to make an impression on leaders like Jack Ma, your heart needs to be in the right place with regards to the long-term vision of your business and your focus on the people. As a forward-charging continent, African entrepreneurs continue to break the mold in their unique approach to their socio-economic challenges. Securing funding for your business growth is one of the most exhilarating experiences, which is right up there with clinching a customer you have been courting for a while. It’s a sigh of relief after working hard to win favor in a highly competitive market. So here are some quick tips to catching the eye of your future funder. To qualify for a share of the $1Million Africa Netpreneur Prize, entrepreneurs are urged to consider the following: · All applications are done online on www.netpreneur.africa website. · Be African nationals from any of the 54 African countries with a business registered in the country of operation in Africa. · Have been in operation for a minimum of 3 years in order to show year on year revenue · Have a service/ product market fit, i.e. addressing a need in the continent. · Be mission-driven with strong values. · Have a minimum of 2 co-founders or 5 staff members. The applicant is required to make 3 one-minute long videos demonstrated below, which can be shot off a phone in a well-lit environment. The 30th June deadline is looming so APPLY NOW!
