The Swiss Africa Business Innovation Initiative (SABII) aims to boost the entrepreneurial know-how and exposure of SubSaharan Africa graduate-student entrepreneurs seeking growth opportunities by offering a unique program bringing entrepreneurs to innovation hotspots in Sub-Sahara Africa and Switzerland.

Offered free of charge to ambitious young entrepreneurs, this highly competitive program comprises a 3- days workshop for advanced innovation entrepreneurs, and for the top eight candidates, a 4 days intense business development Venture Leaders program in the Swiss startup and business ecosystem. The participants will also be qualified for the AfriLabs Annual Gathering starting October 28th.

Funding for Swiss Africa Business and Innovation Initiative

The program is free of charge. Accommodation expenses on site in Addis Ababa are covered by the program. For the Swiss week, flights, transport, and accommodation in Switzerland will also be covered by the program.

Who is eligible for the Swiss Africa entrepreneurial program

Open to graduate students – entrepreneurs and startups from Sub-Saharan African innovation hubs, with a strong link to academia, developing products or services in the fields of mobile health, pharmacometrics, innovative financing as well as digital humanities (knowledge transfer). Your project or company must be based on research or technology developed at a local university/research institute.

Benefits of the Swiss Africa entrepreneurial program

Being selected for this program offers young entrepreneurs a unique opportunity for exposure to top Swiss entrepreneurial expertise and markets. Successful applicants will:

• Develop a better understanding of the market and how to deliver a concrete offer to customers.
• Further, have access to a wide network of peers, mentors and industry experts.
• Likewise, acquire tools and skills to analyze the application of university-based technology.
• Boost the recognition of their innovation as well as your market access.
• Connect to high-level entrepreneurs from Sub-Saharan countries and share experiences.
• Furthermore, engage with entrepreneurs with a similar background to learn about successful business practices.
• Improve market application by validating their ideas with peers, experts, and potential customers.
• Also, become pioneers of the SubSaharan – Swiss entrepreneurs’ community

How to apply Swiss Africa Business and Innovation Initiative

Applicants can apply for the Swiss Africa Business and Innovation Initiative by completing and submitting the online application form. Further, the applicants may also apply for the Innovation Initiative via LinkedIn.

Deadline

Venture lab will accept the application for the Swiss Africa Business and Innovation Initiative until 31 July 2019. Application arriving after the deadline are not eligible for consideration.