dSkills@EA Transfer your Digital Innovation from University to Market 2022

Digital Innovations for Business Resilience in the East African Community, a program under the dSkills@EA project aims to support young innovators at universities in the East African Community to develop and implement digital innovations for business resilience in the times of Covid-19.

Digital Skills for an Innovative East African Industry (dSkills@EA) is a project as part of the technical development cooperation between the EAC and Germany. Digital Innovation for Business Resilience in the EAC is a program under dSkills@EA project.

• Table of Content
• About Digital Skills for an Innovative East African Industry (dSkills@EA)
• Transfer your Digital Innovation from University to Market
• Aim and Benefits of Transfer your Digital Innovation from University to Market
• Requirements for Transfer your Digital Innovation from University to Market Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for Transfer your Digital Innovation from University to Market
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About Digital Skills for an Innovative East African Industry (dSkills@EA)

Digital Skills for an Innovative East African Industry (dSkills@EA) is a project as part of the technical development cooperation between the EAC and Germany. Digital Innovation for Business Resilience in the EAC is a program under dSkills@EA project.

Transfer your Digital Innovation from University to Market

Aim and Benefits of Transfer your Digital Innovation from University to Market

• Finetune your innovative idea during the online Ideathon and get skills in understanding your customers, product development and business modelling
• Winning teams will receive grants of a pool of USD 10,000
• Get connected to the East African Innovation Ecosystem and learn from amazing people and ideas that will shape our future

• Teams selected for the bootcamp will receive in-depth support through mentors and trainers to further shape their innovation

Requirements for Transfer your Digital Innovation from University to Market Qualification

• University students and recent graduates (graduation is not more than 1 year in the past)
• From an East African University
• 18 – 35 years old
• Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply
• Fluent in English

• Have an idea for a digital innovation or are in early-stages of implementing their innovation
• Team of minimum 2 people

Interview date, Process and Venue for Transfer your Digital Innovation from University to Market

After an online application phase, selected participants will go through an online Ideathon in February 2022 to refine their ideas.
Based on the Ideathon, max. 10 teams per country of the EAC will be selected for a physical 5 days bootcamp training taking place in each country in March 2022. Evaluation criteria for entering the bootcamp are:

1. Must-Have Problem: How urgent and important is the identified problem?
2. Innovative Solution: How desired, innovative and effective is the solution?
3. Team: Has the team the skills and zeal to execute the idea?
4. Viability: Is the business model scalable and has viable unit economics?
5. Technology: Is the idea technology-based or implemented with digital means?

The dSkills@EA bootcamp closes with National Pitch-Events in March 2022, providing a relevant opportunity to connect Universities and Industry.
The winners from each country then will compete at the online East Africa Grand Finale in April 2022. At the Grand Finale, five winners will be selected by an expert jury. The USD 10,000 will be split among the five winners according to the stage, needs, and potential of the winners. It will be decided by an expert jury including investors.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

For more details, visit dSkills@EA website.