African energy startups that have developed a new product or service for the decentralised solar energy market in Sub-Saharan Africa can now apply to participate in the Energy Camp in Kigali.

The Energy Camp from 16-19 October 2022 offers the opportunity to further develop your own business model together with other African energy startups. The participants will also receive valuable advice from experienced entrepreneurs from the solar industry, who will participate in the Energy Camp as coaches.

Finally, all startups present their business idea in a public pitch to interested investors and project partners in Kigali.

All startups that meet the following criteria can participate:

• Business: Innovative product / service for an existing decentralized energy market, or introduction of an existing product/service in a new energy market
• Age: If company established: < 10 years
• Status: Minimum viable product ready / First pilot projects and/or customers available
• Location: Registered in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Independence: No branch or franchise of an international company
• Majority of shares: African residents or non-Africans living permanently in Africa

How to apply?
Simply send us your startup presentation. This should comprise a maximum of 10 slides with the following content:

1. Introduction. Explain the business idea in simple and clearly understood terms.
2. Problem. Explain the existing problem in the market.
3. Solution. The solution slide should state the way(s) in which the business solves the problems that your target market is facing.
4. Target market. What are the target customers and what is the market size for your product or service?
5. Traction. This slide can include a simple bullet point list of milestones such as the number of users, annual revenue return rate, and profit margins.
6. Marketing and sales strategy. How will you advertise and sell your product to the market?
7. Competition. Provide information on the qualities that set your product or service apart from other entities or alternatives in its market.
8. Team. The team slide will underscore a company’s management team’s expertise and capabilities to market and sell a product.
9. Financials. Show us your income statements and projected growth.
10. Investments and funding. How much funding do you need and for what exactly?

Deadline: Send your startup presentation to mail@startup-energy.orgby 10 September 2022 at the latest.

Startup|Energy is an initiative of the Stiftung Solarenergie and the University of Freiburg to promote startups in the field of decentralised energy technology in Sub-Saharan Africa and Germany.