The Ignite Innovation Lab 2020, a program of the Inspire Africa for Global Impacts Initiative is calling for application from young Africans. This is the digital version of the innovation lab and it will run from August 8 – 22, 2020.
About the Ignite Innovation Lab
The Ignite Innovation Lab (IGL) Digital Transformation, is an online startup incubator. It provides lessons on human-centered design-thinking and digital marketing. They are committed to equipping youths in Africa with the digital literacy and critical skills necessary to create digital enterprise solutions that are progressing the Sustainable Development Goals and adapting to the global workforce.
IGL helps people and organizations navigate workforce shifts, such as addressing the urgent need to shift to a remote workforce to protect and serve customers and to establish business continuity. It helps African startups shift to digital platforms during the post-COVID-19 while rapidly gaining the skills needed to foster entrepreneurship and create new technologies, businesses, and jobs.
How It Works
The Innovation Lab Challenge is open to young innovative Africans (aged 19 – 28) who are interested in learning about relevant soft and digital skills; are ready to employ critical and design thinking to solve complex problems, and are passionate about upgrading their knowledge on digital marketing and using the knowledge gained to build viable online businesses and create job opportunities.
Participants will work virtually in a team project task through a facilitated process of a Design Thinking challenge to co-create innovative sustainable online business/digital enterprise solutions that will solve complex problems within the African community, create jobs, and simultaneously address a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal.
Participants will join a team of four or five, with members drawn from around Sub-Saharan Africa. The team uses cloud computing to communicate with its members and submit their business proposals within two weeks, which will be published on the solutions page of the Inspire Africa website.
Eligibility Criteria For The Ignite Innovation Lab 2020
To qualify for the IGL Challenge, participants MUST:
- Be a young or aspiring entrepreneur from Africa.
- Be between the ages of 19 – 28 at the start of the program.
- You must be proficient in English
- You should have access to the internet and a valid Gmail account.
- Have access to a computer or smartphone device that allows Google apps/G-suite.
- Have a well-developed CV.
Prizes
Teams will pitch virtually and the winning team members will receive:
- Brand new laptops/cash prizes
- A copy of the Winning Streak Book
- Outstanding members will receive awards of recognition and all participants will get a certificate of completion.
The application for the Ignite Innovation lab 2020 closes on July 24, 2020, at 11:59 PM WAT. If you meet the above criteria and willing to participate in the program, use this link to register, https://www.weinspireafrica.org/igl
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