Also note the peer-review element.
From https://innovateafrica.fund/apply/
We want brilliant ideas, not cumbersome bureaucracy! innovateAFRICA has therefore taken a page out of the Knight Foundation’s playbook and is looking for elevator pitches from applicants.
We want you to tell us what your idea is, how you will build it, and who your team is in just eight short answers.
The information in this section will be posted live on the innovateAFRICA website, for feedback and support from the wider digital journalism and civic technology community.
Peer review can help you improve your ideas. Projects that attract wide discussion and support will win favourable consideration from our judges. Make sure that your answers to the following eight (8) easy questions are carefully crafted and grammar / fact-checked. Make sure that you stick to the strict word limits / length. We will receive 100s of applications, and will penalise applicants who exceed the suggested length for each of the following questions.Finalists who make it to the shortlist in December will be requested to submit longer, more detailed project proposals.
What do you propose to do? [20 words] *Give us your elevator pitch. Tell us, in no more than 20 words, what your project intends doing.
Is anyone doing something like this now and how is your project different? [30 words] *Tell us, in no more than 30 words, why your project would be a good role-model for other digital pioneers.
Describe the real world challenge that you are trying to solve for African media [50 words] *innovateAFRICA is designed to help Africa’s civic media reinvent itself, so that it improves its reach and impact, and so that it is more sustainable. Tell us, in no more than 50 words, how your project tackles some of the challenges facing African watchdog media.
How and why will your solution work? [100 words] *OK, this is where you give us a more detailed description – in no more than 100 words – about what your project does, how it will work, and why your approach will succeed.
Who is working on it? [100 words] *Tell us, in no more than 100 words, what your core team looks like. Give the
names and experience / expertise (with URLs if available) of team
members, and explain why they’re a ‘dream team’.What part of the project have you already built? [100 words] *Ideas are great, but proofs-of-concept are even better. Tell us whether you’ve got a prototype or demo for your project, and share the URL link so we get a better idea of what you intend. Don’t worry if you don’t yet have a prototype. If you idea is strong enough, it will shine through during the shortlisting process.
What would success look like for this project? [50 words] *innovateAFRICA provides seed funding, for prototypes, to help kickstart new approaches or ventures. Even our largest $100,000 grants will, realistically, only be part of what you need to succeed. So, tell us in no more than 50 words what success looks like for your project.
How would you sustain the project after the funding expires? [50 words] *All grants, even our biggest $100,000 prizes, are for a limited period. So, tell us – in no more than 50 words – how you will ensure that your fantastic idea outlives and outlasts the initial grant from innovateAFRICA. What is your sustainability plan?