"Ideas need energy to grow!"
Following the success of the two last challenges, TotalEnergies is relaunching the Startupper of the Year Challenge in 32 countries across the African continent.
The Startupper of the Year Challenge will support and reward young local entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35, that have a business creation project or a startup business in operation for less than three years, covering all sectors. A local jury made up of experts, people from the startup world, company managers and local sustainable development players will select three winners in the following categories:
- The "best business creation project"
- The "best startup under 3 years old"
- The "best female entrepreneur"
The "best female entrepreneur" prize is a new category this year’s challenge to encourage female entrepreneurship.
There will be three finalists per country, following which an international jury will meet to select the three "Grand Winners" for the continent.
Projects will be evaluated according to three criteria:
- Their response to the challenges of sustainable development;
- Their innovative character;
- Their feasibility and development potential.
For the "best female entrepreneur" award, female candidates will be evaluated on their ability to carry out actions to promote women's entrepreneurship and improve the daily lives of women in their communities in addition to the criteria listed above.
Each winner will carry the title "TotalEnergies Startup of the Year" and will receive financial support, personalised coaching, and a media campaign to give their project or business additional visibility.
During the previous edition TotalEnergies South Africa rewarded Nonhlanhla B. Phalama for her Davinon Hydroponics Project, to establish hydroponics farms in rural schools and orphanages across the country. This solar-based solution is targeted at rural communities where there is little or no access to electricity and will contribute towards sustainable employment in the region.
"If I had one word to describe the Startupper of the year Challenge by TotalEnergies, it would be monumental or epic, I would describe it as such, because of the impact it has had on our business, as well as the communities we serve." Said Nonhlanhla.
Registrations opened on November 4th, 2021 and will be accessible directly online at http://startupper.totalenergies.com/. Candidates will then have until December 23rd, 2021 to submit their application.