iHub and World Bank-backed Traction Camp accelerator program has began accepting applications for the second cohort.
The program supports growth-oriented startups in scaling their business through a tailor-made acceleration process designed to take businesses through a rapid-cycle competitive curriculum and matches them quickly to appropriate business mentor and capital.
Startups from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Burundi, and Somalia are eligible to apply for the program. Entries to the program are to be submitted through the traction camp website here: tractioncamp.ihub.co.ke
Participating start-ups will receive mentorship from highly experienced business experts, and gain access to potential corporate partners and investors. The program promises to provide entrepreneurial skills, business acumen, access to networks, and good knowledge of financing mechanisms.
Entrepreneurs will learn through a tailor-made curriculum which covers key topics such as investment readiness and investor engagement, along with how to navigate negotiations, regulatory environments, and internationalization. Other project activities will include facilitating several access to finance (A2F) workshops to provide familiarity with financial concepts and expectations of angel investors to a broader audience.
The criteria for the selection is listed here. Startups can apply for the program on the VC4Africa platform. Applying before the first cut-off of 1st November 2017 gives applications more time to be evaluated. The final deadline is 15 January 2018.