RAD5 Tech Hub Launches Abia Startups Investment Readiness Programme to Support 300 Startups, Businesses in Abia

The program aims to equip participants with the necessary skills and resources to attract potential investors and secure funding.

The project is funded by AfriLabs and Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD) through the Digital Africa Seed Fund and is designed to provide participants with intensive training, support, and direct mentorship from industry experts in various areas such as product development, technology, customer validation, team formation, business model innovation, sales and marketing, financing, startup funding, and more.

The program will be held both physically and virtually, catering to entrepreneurs and businesses in Abia.

It aims to target 300 entrepreneurs, with 40% being women-led, and make at least 70% of the participants investor ready in six months. There will be two six-week phases, with the call for applications for the first batch of 150 entrepreneurs starting on April 25, 2023, and ending on May 8, 2023.

Selected participants will be notified via email by May 10, 2023.

Here is a breakdown of the dates and deadlines for the program:

First Batch:

• Call for applications: April 28, 2023
• Application deadline: May 10, 2023
• Announcement of beneficiaries: May 10, 2023
• Onboarding and commencement: May 12, 2023
• Training activity timeline: May 12, 2023 – June 23, 2023
• Awards, certification, and demo day: July 29, 2023

Second Batch:

• Call for applications: May 12, 2023
• Application deadline: June 14, 2023
• Announcement of beneficiaries: June 23, 2023
• Onboarding and commencement: July 26, 2023
• Training activity timeline: July 26, 2023 – July 28, 2023
• Awards, certification, and demo day: July 29, 2023

The training will be available both in-person and virtually, occurring twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays.

On demo day, the top 20 businesses will have the opportunity to pitch to investors and compete for a share of $2,000 in grant funding, which will help accelerate their businesses.

Selection will be based on businesses that have shown the most growth during the program, as measured using a set of internal KPIs.

The Abia Startups Investment Readiness Programme (ASIR-P) welcomes entrepreneurs and business owners at both the pre-revenue stage (idea or concept stage) and post-revenue
stage (early stage), who are solving problems in various sectors such as Fashion, Finance, Education, Entertainment, Governance, Agriculture, E-commerce, Retail, Lifestyle, Health, Enterprise SaaS, Micro SaaS, Climate/Energy, Transportation & Logistics, Real Estate, Hospitality, and Hardware.

RAD5 Tech Hub is thrilled to announce the launch of the Abia Startups Investment Readiness Programme (ASIR-P), which is aimed at supporting early stage startups, entrepreneurs, and businesses in Abia State.

We aim to assist entrepreneurs in succeeding and creating more than 1,000 new job opportunities for Abians through this program. We firmly believe that empowering these entrepreneurs will contribute to the economic growth and development of the state and the nation.

The selection criteria for the program will be based on businesses that prove:

• Desirability: a product that people want or need
• Viability: a product that will be profitable
• Feasibility: a product that can be created with new or existing technology

To apply, please visit bit.ly/ASIR-P