Seedstars World, the global seed-stage startup competition for emerging markets and fast-growing startup scenes, to spread wings in Mali on 4th of September for its 1st edition in the country.
“The excitement is at its peak! One of the most important start-up competitions in the world is coming to Bamako. Seedstars World is an amazing opportunity for the best entrepreneurs of emerging countries to be identified. The selected start-ups “those that will shape our future” will benefit from access to a great network and community, media exposure and overall the opportunity to connect with leading investors. The global winner, who will be selected among the participating countries can earn $500,000 to grow his business. To the Malian community of entrepreneurs, do not wait!” explains Mohamed Keita, Co-Founder and CEO at Impact Hub Bamako.
The companies selected to pitch at the Seedstars Bamako event need to be less than 2 years old, have raised less than USD 500,000 in funding and have built a minimum viable product, ideally with existing traction. The Seedstars World team is searching for one additional criterion – the startup’s regional and global scalability. With a strong network of international partners such as Inmarsat, INADEM, Standard Bank and Deloitte, Seedstars World is looking for smart startups that solve regional issues and develop profitable products for the global market, to support their regional businesses and growth.
“Seedstars World is a platform connecting investors to the next generation of startup entrepreneurs, pulling the spotlight from Silicon Valley and Western Europe. After three years of our existence, we have definitely confirmed our initial hypothesis that the best way to have an impact in emerging countries is by investing and promoting entrepreneurship. We are constantly expanding into new countries to learn about ecosystems and discover new talent. We are therefore very excited to come to Mali for the first time and see what the country has to offer.” explains Claudia Makadristo, Associate for Seedstars World.
Seedstars World is travelling to more than 65 countries this year to identify the best seed-stage entrepreneurs and provide them with an opportunity to win up to USD 1 million and network with investors and mentors from around the world. Its previous participants have raised over USD 61M collectively, providing employment to more than 360 employees worldwide.