Deadline Date: 24-Feb-2023

Does your digital project support the development of culture and creativity in Africa? The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) is launching the sixth edition of the AFD Digital Challenge, a competition dedicated to digital start-ups and associations to reward the most innovative projects in the cultural and creative industries sector in Africa.

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This latest edition of the AFD Digital Challenge aims to support entrepreneurs who propose digital and technological innovations to accelerate the development of the CCI sector in Africa, through projects that create jobs, generate growth and bring about change.

Themes

All projects submitted must respect both the six targeted sectors and the three transversal issues mentioned below:

• The six principal sectors of activity of the Cultural and Creative Industries
  • Cultural and natural heritage: museums, historical places, archaeological sites, cultural landscapes, natural heritage
  • Performing arts and festivities: performing arts, live music, dance, festivals, fairs and celebrations
  • Visual arts and crafts: fine arts, photography, crafts
  • Books and press: books, newspapers, magazines, libraries, book fairs
  • Audiovisual and interactive media: film, TV and radio, streaming, podcasts, video games
  • Design and creative services: architecture, fashion design, graphic design, interior design, advertising.
• Digital and/or technological solutions addressing one of the following three issues:
  • The transformation and professionalisation of the modes of production and consumption of cultural and creative goods and services via digital technology.
  • The valorisation of African cultural heritages and heritages through digital technology.
  • Promoting inclusive access to cultural and creative content via digital media.

Award Details

• The ten (10) winners selected in the final selection phase will each receive a prize of up to €45,000.
• The awarding of the prize will be conditional on the production of a provisional budget highlighting the costs that will be covered by the prize. AFD and the Provider will provide technical and strategic support to the winning companies in this process.
• Each Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Prizes may not be contested in any way, nor may they be exchanged for their cash value.
• Each Participant acknowledges and accepts that the Provider and the Organisers are only obliged to make available the Prize awarded to the successful Participants. Accordingly, all incidental costs relating to such Gifts or general costs associated with taking possession of such Gifts shall, unless otherwise provided for in the Rules, remain the responsibility of the successful Participants. No payment or reimbursement will be due in respect of the implementation or provision of the Prize.
• In the event that a selected Participant fails to take possession of his/her Prize, for reasons beyond the control of the Organisers, within two (2) months of receiving the e-mail informing him/her of the availability of his/her Prize, the Organisers reserve the right to declare the Prize not awarded.
• Technical support
  • In addition to the financial award and with regard to the results of the pre-selection phase, participants will benefit from a one-year support package tailored to the specific needs of the start-up: mentoring, networking, coaching, masterclass.
  • The endowment granted by AFD to the 10 (ten) winners will be implemented by a service provider chosen in advance. Under no circumstances will AFD provide a financial award as such. The prize offered by the Organisers will be subject to validation stages defined in advance with the winners.
  • The Organisers shall not be obliged to award the Prize to a winner whose elements provided for the identification and knowledge of the beneficiary are not deemed satisfactory.

Eligibility Criteria

• Your digital project involves one of the six main sectors of activity of the Cultural and Creative Industries
• Your project offers a digital solution to one of the following three challenges
  • Transformation of the modes of production and consumption of cultural and creative goods and services
  • Enhancing the value of African cultural heritage and legacies
  • Promotion of inclusive access to cultural and creative content
• Your project is currently in the seed phase (prototyping or beginning of commercialization with an indicative annual turnover of 0 to 18 000€), or in the acceleration phase (economic model and user market established with an indicative annual turnover of 18 000 to 250 000€/year
• Your project has a legal structure based in one or more African countries
• Your project has a sustainable and autonomous economic model
• Digital technology is at the heart of your solution

Terms & Conditions of Participation in the Challenge

• Organisations demonstrating the existence of a legal structure: the Challenge is open to any structure established in one or more countries on the African continent for at least one year.
• Organisations proposing a digital and/or technological cultural and creative project in one of the six sectors and in relation to the following sub-themes:
  • The transformation and professionalisation of the modes of production and consumption of cultural and creative goods and services
  • Enhancing African cultural heritage and legacies
  • Promoting inclusive access to cultural and creative content
• Organisation demonstrating the existence of a sustainable and autonomous economic model: all entrepreneurial structures demonstrating an economic model and competitive activity (companies, cooperatives, etc.) will be eligible without discrimination. Applications from associations, NGOs and other non-profit organisations will only be considered eligible if they demonstrate a competitive activity and a clearly formalised economic model independent of public subsidies.
• Have a project in the seed or acceleration phase:
  • Seed phase: The selected organisations must be in the seed phase, i.e. have a prototype and a first proof of concept marketed to a user base for their products/services. The objective of the prize is to bring the organisation to a viable business model. (Indicative annual turnover – €0 to €18,000).
  • Acceleration phase: Organisations have an established business model and user market. The objective of the award is to bring the organisation to scale on its services or geographical area (indicative annual turnover – €18,000 to €250,000/year).
• Submit a complete application file, in accordance with the provisions of these Rules: Participation in the Challenge implies the submission by the Participants of Deliverables which must imperatively respond to the issues and comply with the rules of the Challenge.
• Avoiding conflicts of interest: Staff members of AFD and of companies or other entities involved in the implementation and/or promotion of the Challenge, as well as their family members, may not participate in the Challenge.
• Submitting a single entry: Only one entry to the Challenge per Participant will be accepted.
• Non-compliance with the conditions of participation: any Participant who does not comply with the conditions of this Article at the time of registration and at any time during the duration of the Challenge shall be, ipso jure and without prior notice, disqualified from the Challenge and may not be awarded any prize. In the event that a prize is awarded to a Participant who does not meet the conditions of participation at the time of registration or during the Challenge, the Organisers reserve the right to require the Participant to return and/or terminate the prize received or executed.

For more information, visit AFD.