African Ventures Can Now Apply for Airbus BizLab #Africa4Future (Fully Funded)

Airbus BizLab is a global aerospace accelerator, where startups and Airbus intrapreneurs speed up the transformation of innovative ideas into valuable businesses. The accelerator closely collaborates with startups to allow smaller organisations better understand needs and ways of working for large groups.

Over the past three years, Airbus BizLab has hosted 50 startups and 40 Airbus internal projects in its six-month programme at the three locations – Toulouse (France), Hamburg (Germany) and Bangalore (India) – creating a global network of business accelerators. Through its initiative, #Africa4Future initiative Airbus BizLab supports collaboration between Airbus and African startups by offering mentorship, networking and coaching.

#Africa4Future is a “Joint Accelerator Program” between Airbus BizLab & GIZ Make-IT in Africa. The program contributes to UN SDG # 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and looks to foster the development of aerospace technologies with a goal of helping to solve development challenges in Africa.

Eligibility

Airbus BizLab focuses on early-stage tech start-ups with technologies aimed at unmanned logistics and remote sensing, including automation and drones, electrification, blockchain, artificial intelligence, data analytics and material composites and manufacturing.

The programme aims to increase the use of new technologies like:

• Automation and drones
• Blockchain
• Artificial Intelligence
• Data analytics and  new material or production technique
• Electrification and connectivity
• AR and VR
• New Space Solution and SmartCity
• Cybersecurity

Our intention is to open ourselves up to different areas such as digitalisation, data processing, communication networks, robotics. However, the projects should be applicable to the aeronautical industry.

Benefits

• The top 10 applicants will have the opportunity to join a six-month acceleration program, starting on 7th January 2019.
  Access to industry-leading experts
• Feedback on technology and business model
  Showcase at Paris International Airshow (France) and CeBit Hanover (Germany)
  Opportunity to launch a collaboration project with Airbus
• Participate in a mix of virtual business support and physical workshops. The preliminary programme includes (15-17 January: Kick-off in Kenya; 11-21 March: Workshop in Europe; 03-15 May: Workshop in South Africa; 19-26 June: DemoDays in Paris and Hanover)
• From January to June, all startups will have access to virtual mentoring and co-working spaces in Accra (Ghana), Lagos (Nigeria), Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Cape Town (South Africa) and Nairobi (Kenya).
• Travel, accommodation and food will be covered for one person per startup for all workshops. Attendance to workshops is compulsory.

How to Apply

Following review, 10 applicants will be chosen for the opportunity to join #Africa4Future, a six-month acceleration program, starting on 7th January 2019. Startups can submit applications for the program, from today until 30th November 2018 via the website.