Afritech XYZ is running a Clean Energy Tech Innovation Prize with Lion’s Head Global Partners | Announcement
We are pleased to announce that we are working with Lion’s Head Global Partners to highlight and support some of the most innovative early-stage clean energy startups coming out of Sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this partnership is to assist Africa’s clean energy tech entrepreneurs in achieving their full potential, to empower diverse perspectives to contribute to the international discussion of Net Zero and the Extinction Rebellion and to spotlight the development of globally relevant innovative technology from African startups.
Over the past 5 years, Afritech XYZ has successfully collaborated with the UN World Food Programme, British Council, International Trace Centre, international investors, Amazon, Google, Hogan Lovells and others to effectively support African tech entrepreneurs.
After researching the needs of African tech entrepreneurs we recognised that two of the key elements missing in the support ecosystem available to them is publicity and direct links to expertise, locally and internationally. Our Innovation Prize allows us to select a small group of startups (5) that have the potential to solve a pan-African or global problem and provide them with access to experts and opportunities that will challenge them to think bigger, build quicker and more sustainably. Through the prize, we also offer a small amount of cash to the winner (£1000) to help them build out their innovative technology even further. This prize is happily partnered with Lion’s Head Global Partners.
Established in 2008, Lion’s Head Global Partners is a leading investment banking and asset management firm bringing innovative financial solutions to emerging and frontier markets, with a specific focus on Africa and the Middle East. Regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority and UAE’s Dubai Financial Services Authority, they provide investment management, financial advisory and capital raising services across multiple sectors and geographies. With offices in London, Nairobi, Lagos, New York and Dubai, they leverage their local market understanding and global investor networks, to deliver the best financial solutions to their client's diverse challenges. They combine a ‘client-first’ culture with a long term sustainability mindset to deliver outstanding products and services, whilst upholding the highest professional and ethical standards.
The Lion’s Head Asset Management team provides fund management services to partner DFIs, impact and institutional investors. They currently manage four pioneering funds, including three Africa-focussed, clean energy orientated funds, the Off-Grid Energy Fund (OGEF), the Facility for Energy Inclusion (FEI) and Africa GoGreen (AGG). They now have over US$550 million of assets under management with investments in 18 African countries, giving them unique insights into local market activity. They are also creating a new jointly-owned venture fund that invests in fast-growing, tech-enabled businesses across Africa. Their Investment Banking group provides bespoke financing solutions and skilled transaction execution to sovereign, corporate, donor and public sector clients across a wide variety of key sectors, including healthcare, technology, infrastructure, power & energy, financial services and sustainable finance.
Our mission with Afritech XYZ is to support tech startups to ensure that they are closing the skills and opportunity gaps that will ensure the forward movement of their innovative startups through effective mentorship based training programmes. Our last cohort of finalists has gone on to build significant relationships with investors in the UK and USA. The cohort of finalists before them have gone on to raise more than £3M in funding to develop their startups further. This partnership with Lion’s Head Global Partners has the potential to transform the trajectories of our finalist startups in just a few months.
Our upcoming Clean Energy Tech Innovation prize will run between August 15th and November 15th 2021.
The startup criteria
Up to 5 years active
Must be incorporated
The majority of your team schooled in Africa
Must have at least 1 woman in your senior leadership team
Must not have received more than £50K investment
Must have a working prototype
Must have an active customer base
Your primary industry must be Clean Energy Technologies
To register your interest in the Innovation Prize, please fill in this form. By September 15th, 2021.
To find out more about Lion’s Head Global Partners please visit their website or connect with them on LinkedIn.
