Jump Shot : The NBPA x UM6P Innovation Challenge

Join our startup program and innovate with us

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Competition Guidelines

 To participate, your startup must meet specific eligibility criteria designed to ensure fairness and impact.
 
These guidelines outline the required industry focus, innovation potential, and stage of development needed to qualify.
 
Make sure to review them carefully to maximize your chances of being selected.

 

Driven by Africa 

  • The startup must be majority founded/co-founded and managed by African entrepreneurs.

 Business Stage & Maturity

  • The startup must be beyond the early stage phase ( no ideation or prototype only companies).
  • Must be legally registered and operational for at least two years.
  • Must have a proven product market fit with active customers and demonstrable revenue streams.

 Financial Viability & Growth
 

  • The startup must show an annual revenue of minimum $30,000 USD.
  • Must have a clear and sustainable business model with financial projections for growth.
  • The company should have some level of existing funding whether from grants, angel investors, VC’s, or revenue generation.

Impact and Scalability

  • Startups must align with one or more of the impact investment focus areas outlined in this document.
  • The solution must be scalable with potential for expansion across their operational country and across africa
  • Startups must demonstrate a clear strategy for measuring and reporting social and environmental impact.

 Market & Customer Validation
 

  • Evidence of customer adoption, market traction, and demand for the solution.
  • Strong value proposition with a differentiated product or service.
  • A clearly defined target market and competitive positioning.

Team & Leadership

  • A full-time founding team with relevant expertise and execution capability.
  • Strong leadership and commitment to participating fully in the accelerator program.
  • Women founders are strongly encouraged to apply.

Innovation & Technology Use
 

  • The startup should leverage technology or innovative solutions to drive impact.
  • Businesses should be focused on solving pressing challenges through sustainable and scalable innovations.

Team commitment

If selected for the accelerator, each startup must have at least two dedicated representatives, ideally from the management team, actively participating throughout the program. Additional team members may join specific events and training sessions as needed

Legal and Ethical Compliance

  • The company must operate within ethical and legal business practices.
  • Compliance with local and international regulatory frameworks relevant to its industry.

Eligible Countries

  • Cameroon
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Ghana
  • Morocco
  • Nigeria
  • Senegal