Description

An undeniable catalyst for progress, technological innovation can only reach its full potential if it is supported by a solid, viable business proposition that meets current and future social and environmental needs.

As well as encouraging innovation, Orange also rewards the positive entrepreneurial spirit of dynamic start-ups within the framework of its Social Venture Prize. Since 2011 this International Grand Prix competition has welcomed start-ups from 17 countries in Africa and the Middle East. It identifies, rewards, and supports business propositions that make a positive social and environmental impact.

To encourage sustainable, responsible, and inclusive development, the International Women’s Prize was introduced in 2020, promoting business ventures led by women entrepreneurs.

Requirements

Candidates must:

• Be 21 years and over

• Present a social entrepreneurship project based on NICT (New Information and Communication Technologies)

• The candidates must present a project that involves at least one of the 17 countries

• Individual: you must be 21 or older on the competition’s launch date.

• Legal entity: your company must have been operating for less than 3 years on the competition’s launch date.

Your project must be up and running in one of Orange’s 17 countries in Africa and the Middle East:

• Botswana

• Burkina Faso

• Cameroon,

• Democratic Republic of the Congo,

• Egypt

• Equatorial Guinea

• Guinea Bissau

• Guinea Conakry

• Ivory Coast

• Jordan

• Liberia 

• Madagascar

• Mali, Morocco

• Central African Republic

• Senegal

• Sierra Leone

• Tunisia

Awards

International Grand Prix

• 1st prize: €25,000

• 2nd prize: €15,000

• 3rd prize: €10,000

The 10 finalists within the OSVP International Grand Prix and the winner of the International Women’s Prize will also receive 6 to 9 months of business development support.

International Women’s Prize: Winner: €20,000

Programme Details

• The first phase will take place between May 27 to August 30:
  each application will be assessed according to the rules of the national competitions and up to three winners will be selected in each country. The international phase will then begin. An evaluation committee of Orange employees will preselect 10 finalists from the national winners.

• The second international phase will take place from September 2 to 26: 
  these finalists will be evaluated by a grand jury of influential representatives from the African tech world, who will choose the three overall winners of the International Grand Prix.

• At the end of October:
   this jury will also be responsible for choosing the winner of the International Women’s Prize.

Deadline

May 26th, 2024

Find application form here