Project Overview
The Caravan Entrepreneurship Program (CEP), the flagship program of Caravan Africa Project, provides
a comprehensive framework to accelerate industrialisation and create mass employment for young
people on the African continent by interlinking local value chains to create cross-border ecosystems
of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) capacities and micro-entrepreneurial skills which
through synergies can CREATE JOBS, DRIVE TRADE & BOOST INTEGRATION for GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS.
The Caravan Entrepreneurship Program (CEP) is being pioneered by AfroChampions Initiative with
funding from the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA). CEP will create the necessary
capacity building support for micro-entrepreneurs to develop STEM-focused value chains to address
challenges and opportunities in strategic industries – agriculture, textiles and manufacturing -
within Mauritius.
Caravan Entrepreneurship Program (CEP) Objectives
- Accelerate the growth of STEM related businesses and expand the stem-capable workforce (and
broaden the participation of women and minorities in the workforce).
- Equip young African entrepreneurs to form local value chain clusters for trade growth and
access to capital.
- Create regional and continental trade ecosystem support for micro entrepreneurs to develop
local value chain products.
- Facilitate the creation of access to regional markets for micro-entrepreneurs within the
local value chain clusters.
- Create mass employment for young people within the selected African countries.
Focus Value Chain
Who Can Apply
The program is open to the entrepreneurs with:
- Fully-fledged teams with STEM affiliates,
- Marketing partners already in place but
- Looking for further boost and to sell beyond Mauritius.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be Mauritian and be older than 18 years of age.
- Applicants must have knowledge and understanding of the value chain within which the
business operates.
- Applicants must demonstrate potential for replication and growth of their value chain
product or service to create jobs and wealth.
- Applicants must demonstrate leadership potential, capable of attracting people, customers
and resources.
- Ability to allocate time and resources to participate in the Project, including attending
periodic meetings, and implementation of field testing/pilot project in East Africa.
How Does the Program Work?
- Source: We launch call for applications for market-oriented entrepreneurs
and innovators from Mauritius with market relevant solutions to apply to join the program.
- Training: The selected applicants will receive tailored training and
comprehensive support to further boost their STEM related businesses to develop scalable
local value chain products through entrepreneurship.
- Selection: With the support of a network of expert advisors, we select
high-performing team of entrepreneurs, via pitching and product demos, with innovative value
chain products to move into our incubator program.
- Incubator: The incubator program offers entrepreneurship capacity support
for fellows to boost their growth. Fellows will receive world-class training, networking and
mentorship. Entrepreneurs will be trained in product development, marketing strategy,
business model development, Market Value Proposition, etc. to boost their businesses.
Successful teams will enter the Accelerator program from this stage.
- Accelerator program: Successful teams will receive funding with support to
develop and expand their client base while tapping into markets beyond Mauritius. They will
receive intense training which includes, but not limited to; growth, product iteration and
investor readiness, corporate structuring and governance, intellectual property assessment
and strategy.
- Post-Accelerator: Successful teams will receive support for market
expansion of products and client acquisition with strong relationship with the network of
entrepreneurs throughout the cycle.
What We Offer
- Get our Field Accelerator to grow your business.
- Selected applicants will work with research institutes and other experts to refine their
products and business models.
- Selected applicants will obtain market access and branding support.
- Selected applicants will ride on the “Caravan” meta-brand to tap positive consumer
sentiment.
- Selected applicants will have access to high-level support network in private & public
sectors.
- Selected applicants will have access to funding and mentoring support to scale value chain
products.
- All costs related to this program will be covered by Afrochampions Initiative and its
partners.
Application Process
| Activity |
Date |
| Call for Application |
February 4, 2020 |
| Application Review and Selection |
April 24, 2020 |
| First Caravan Summit |
May 8, 2020 |
| Product/Business Pitches & Shortlisting |
June 5, 2020 |
| Product Development Coordination |
July 3, 2020 |
| Final Pitches + Funding/Support Announcement |
July 17, 2020 |
How To Apply
Please click here to apply.
Application Deadline
Please apply before June 3rd, 2020 11:59pm GMT.
