Digital startups from South Africa and the continent are being called on to enter the 2017 edition of the African continent’s premier launch pad for emerging technologies, DEMO Africa, before 31 August 2017. DEMO Africa is a platform that gives technology entrepreneurs an opportunity to meet with potential investors and technology buyers. The selected thirty startups are also each provided mentorship and tools worth more than R3,3-million.The Gauteng Province is the host for DEMO Africa 2017 that will take place from 23 – 24 November 2017 at the Birchwood Hotel and Convention Centre, making it the second year that South Africa’s largest economic province will host the event. “We are very excited to be working with the Gauteng Province to showcase Africa’s best technology entrepreneurs and provide them an opportunity to launch and pitch their products and services,” says Harry Hare, executive director and producer at DEMO Africa. David Makhura, Gauteng Province premier, says: “We recognize that DEMO Africa brings the best emerging technology firms in Africa and introduces new technology trends and investment opportunities to about 2000 investors, technology buyers, corporate acquirers, company founders, SME support institutions, strategic partners and global press. “As such DEMO Africa is well suited to the economic profile and economic development plan of the Gauteng Province.” DEMO Africa has launched more than 180 startups in the last five years who have raised more than R700-million in investment and business deals. Some of the notable startups to launch at DEMO Africa include GoMetro, GMaven, Eduze, SpacePointe, Zuvaa, Shop Soko, Lipisha, Eneza Education, Eventus, Traffic Bytes and Vivifi. The DEMO Africa programme includes an eight-week mentorship programme and access to tools and services from Amazon Web Services and Microsoft.This year, the DEMO Africa team toured 14 cities in Africa to identify startups that fit the DEMO Africa selection criteria. Companies that launch at DEMO Africa must:• Have a working product• Have an innovative solution to a difficult problem• Have a team to execute the solution• Have potential to scale and • Be investor ready. Startups can apply to launch through the Venture Africa portal at www.venture-africa.com by 31 August 2017.Entry categories include health, education, agriculture, commerce, hospitality, manufacturing, entertainment, energy and logistics. Thirty companies will be selected to launch their products at the main event in September.
