US-West Africa Tech Challenge for young Innovators ($250,000 in funding) now open
The US-West Africa Tech Challenge seeks to accelerate the development of promising technologies that provide new solutions for exposing, understanding, and countering disinformation, propaganda, and violent extremism in Coastal West Africa.
The US-West Africa Tech Challenge invites technologists from around Africa to apply to propose their solutions to a panel of government, civil society, and commercial sector partners.
A panel of judges will choose up to eight firms to exhibit their technologies. Up to three groups will be chosen as Challenge winners and will receive cash totaling $250,000 USD.
The US-West Africa Tech Challenge will be held in two parts in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on September 27-28, 2023. Part one will include a demo day with the selected technologists; part two will include panels and conversations with technologists, government officials, civic society, academia, and the media to share lessons gained and opportunities for collaboration in addressing the challenges.
Benefits
Winning solutions will help countries in Coastal West Africa, but this Call for Submissions is available to firms domiciled and headquartered throughout Africa, not just those in Coastal West Africa.
The US-West Africa Tech Challenge is organized by the US Department of State’s Global Engagement Center in partnership with the US Embassy in Abidjan, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy of Côte d’Ivoire, the United Nations Development Programme, She Code Africa, Impact Hub Abidjan, and Becera.
