- Co-Creation HUB is assisting the Edo State government in strengthening its digital solutions ecosystem and encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
- The project is a component of the state’s Digi Link program, which the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supports, and aims to bridge the gap between ecosystem players and the government in order to co-create digital solutions that can address societal socio-economic problems.
- The initiative will provide sub-grant support to 50 startups through two programs.
- The Inclusion-Focused Support is for 30 diverse startups with underrepresented founders and teams (women) at $ 10,000 funding each.
- The Innovation Challenge Program is for 20 tech startups with innovative ideas and products that meet the needs and challenges in the Edo State market at $ 20,000 funding each to improve and expand their operations.
[Monday, January 15, 2024—Lagos, Nigeria] – Co-creation HUB and Edo State Government, have announced calls for Edo tech startups looking to join the “Strengthening Edo State’s Digital Solutions Ecosystem programme”, which aims at creating economic opportunities for people, especially marginalized groups, who do not have access to capital and other resources to grow and scale their businesses. The program is aimed at helping startups achieve remarkable growth and scale! The program offers crucial provisions like training, mentorship, funding and go-to-market support to ensure long-term success for ventures in Edo State. Ultimately, the program will strengthen the state ecosystem and give targeted groups the opportunity to live a productive life.
We offer sub-grant support to 50 startups through two programs – the Inclusion-Focused Support and the Innovation Challenge Program for diverse startups with underrepresented founders and teams (women) and the Innovation Challenge for all tech startups with innovative ideas and products, offering grant funding for those with market potential.
The Innovation Challenge programme (30 Startups/10k USD Each) is open to Edo-indigene-led tech startups with a working product, technical expertise, gender diversity, and solutions across all sectors. They should also explain how their technology can help solve problems in Edo state. Women-led or gender-diverse teams prioritizing marginalized communities and sustainable development goals are encouraged to apply.
On the other hand, the Inclusion-Focused Support Programme (20 Startups/20k USD Each) is for tech startups and companies led by talent from Edo state. Such ventures should have a functioning prototype past the idea stage and be tested for market validation. The team should be diverse, including people with marketing, business development skills, and other relevant areas besides technical expertise.
“We are glad that CcHUB, a pioneering force within Nigeria’s startup ecosystem, will be the implementing partner of the “Strengthening Edo State’s Digital Solutions Ecosystem Project”, says Precious Izoduwa Asemota, the Executive Director of Edo Innovates.
The application call commenced on 12 January 2024 and will close on 12 February 2024.
https://bit.ly/EDOSTATEDIGITALECOSYSTEM.
NB: This initiative is an equity-free grant to support innovators in Edo State and not an investment. This Call for Application has been announced by Co-creation Hub as the implementation partner and is not affiliated with any Federal Government Ministry.
About the Edo States Government.
The Edo State Government is the governing body of Edo State, one of Nigeria’s 36 states. It is located in the South-South geopolitical zone of the country, with Benin City as its capital.
The official website of the Edo State Government. https://edostate.gov.ng/
About CcHUB
CcHUB is a leading innovation centre in Africa that provides a range of services to support and promote the growth of technology startups. Headquartered in Nigeria, CcHUB offers incubation, acceleration, and investment opportunities to startups in various sectors, including fintech, healthcare, education, and energy.
About Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and allowing them to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. https://www.gatesfoundation.org/