GEC+Africa 2024 Regional Pitch Competition Term and Conditions 

1. Accronyms:  

GEC+Africa: Global Entrepreneurship Congress Africa  

GEN Africa: Global Entrepreneurship Network Africa  

1. BACKGROUND 

GEC+ Africa is a gathering of entrepreneurs and leaders from more than 50 African nations committed to advancing entrepreneurial activity throughout their own countries in Africa. GEC+ Africa will include other international thought leaders and practitioners globally who have become a part of GEN’s global movement that advances entrepreneurship as a means of building economies and expanding human welfare. 

The entrepreneurship regional pitching competitions aims to bring in startups and SMMEs from across the continent to showcase their businesses. This will be an opportunity to highlight Africa’s innovative startups/SMMEs and a platform to strengthen each country’s entrepreneurship ecosystem. 

1. Rules: 

Applications are open to tech startups at pre-seed or seed stage with at least a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and non-tech startups or SMMEs that are post revenue. 

• The dates of lead up activities can be found on the GEC+Africa website (www.gecafrica.co )  

• The eligibility criteria for the pitch competition can be found on the GEC+Africa website (www.gecafrica.co) 

1. Eligibility Criteria  

1. Tech Startups:  

• Must be a digital tech startup 
• Must be scalable  

• Must be at pre seed stage or seed stage  
• Must have a strong founding team  
• Must have a strong value proposition 

1. Non-Tech Startups:  

• Must be post revenue  

• Must be scalable  
• Must have a strong team  

1. You will be required to upload your pitch deck during the application process. Should this not be uploaded, you will be disqualified from the application process. 

1. All correspondence regarding your application will be directed to the person named on your application form. Please ensure that this person is the most relevant contact; and 

1. There is no application fee payable.  

1. ADJUDICATION PROCESS 

1. The GEC+Africa adjudication committee reserves the right not to judge an application if the submission requirements have not been met; 

1. The GEC+Africa adjudication committee will shortlist the country specific applicants to the top 10 using an agreed upon scoring criteria;  

1. The winners in each country will be selected by the adjudication committee.  

1. The top 15 African finalists will be informed and invited to pitch at the GEC+Africa 2024 stage in Cape Town, South Africa.  

1. AWARD PRICE 

1. The GEC+Africa pitch winners will receive the following prizes and this will be presented as a cheque:  

1. 1st prize: $25 000  

2ND prize $15 000  

3rd prize: $10 000 

1. TERMS AND CONDITIONS  

By submitting your application, you agree to the terms and conditions provided herein. 

1. Representations and Warranties 

1. The applicant warrants that: 

1. it is an entity duly registered according to their country’s laws. 

1. the entry into the Awards do not and will not: (i) conflict with any provision of its constitutional documents; (ii) conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of or constitute a default or termination event (however described) under any agreement, mortgage or notarial bond or other instrument to which it is a party or which is binding upon it or any of its assets or revenues; (iii) or exceed any limit on its powers; and 

1. it has the power and has taken all necessary action to authorise its entry into the GEC+Africa pitch competition. 

1. Image Rights 

1. GEN Africa, 22 On Sloane and its organising committee will use or display the Applicants name, voice, likeness, image, appearance, or biographical information in, on, or in connection with any pictures, photographs, audio and video recordings, digital images, websites, television programs, advertising, publicity, sales and marketing brochures, books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, tapes, or any other print or electronic media or other publications anywhere in the world for an indefinite period for the purpose of promoting the congress.  

1. The Applicant consents to the use or display of their name, voice, likeness, image, appearance, or biographical information in, on, or in connection with any pictures, photographs, audio and video recordings, digital images, websites, television programs, advertising, publicity, sales and marketing brochures, books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, tapes, or any other print or electronic media or other publications anywhere in the world for an indefinite period by GEC+Africa, GEN Africa and 22 On Sloane for the purpose of promoting the congress.  

1. The Applicant waives and releases GEC+Africa and its organising committee from any claim for remuneration resulting from the use or display of the Applicants’ name, voice, likeness, image, appearance, or biographical information in, on, or in connection with any pictures, photographs, audio and video recordings, digital images, websites, television programs, advertising, publicity, sales and marketing brochures, books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, tapes, or any other print or electronic media or other publications. 

1. Processing of Personal Information 

1. It is recorded that the information in relation to the Applicant and the documents contemplated in the congress, provided to the organising committee from time to time may constitute personal information. 

1. The Applicant specifically and unconditionally consents to the Congress, GEN Africa and 22 On Sloane:  

1. Processing –  

1. within the organisations mentioned above,  or the organising committee and any other entity related to it, or with whom it is in a joint venture and/or partnership or similar arrangement, or any Entity that renders services to the organising committee or otherwise conducts business under a name which includes the organising committee or any variation thereof (including their subsidiaries, parties that are related or inter-related to them and/or their affiliated companies, to the extent applicable) and/or any trust founded by the organising committee for its own operations and/or any entities that are related and/or inter-related to those trusts, as the case may be, and all such entities’ successors-in-title and/or practice, (wherever any such members may be located, including in countries which may not have data-protection laws similar to South Africa); 

1. on infrastructure belonging to any third party with whom the organising committee and/or any member of GEN Africa and 22 On Sloane enters into an operator agreement; 

1. the personal information which the Applicant or any of its subsidiaries, affiliates, consultants or advisors, or employees provide to the organising committee, for any purpose in order for the organising committee to agree to selecting the Applicant for the pitching competition; 

1. storing any and all information constituting personal information for an indefinite period; 

1. transmitting such personal information to other persons (wherever they may be located, including in countries which may not have data-protection laws similar to South Africa) as GEN Africa, 22 On Sloane and the organising committee may deem necessary for the purposes of implementing the congress ; and 

1. keeping any documentation or other instruments provided to the organising committee pursuant to the Congress. 

1. The submission by the Applicant of any personal information to GEC+Africa and/or any members of the organising committee in any form in respect of this Congress, constitutes an acknowledgement by the Applicant that such conduct is authorised and constitutes an unconditional, specific and voluntary consent to the processing of such information. 

1. The Applicant confirms that it has procured the consent from its’ shareholders and the subsidiary/ies , as the case may be, whose personal information is provided to GEC+Africa and/or the organizing committee for the processing of such information by GEC+Africa the organizing committee for the aforementioned and related purposes. The Applicant hereby indemnifies and holds harmless GEC+Africa and the organizing committee against any loss, liability, damage or expense (including interest and penalties) suffered or incurred by GEC+Africa due to the Applicants’ failure to obtain the necessary consent. 

1. INDEMNITY 

1. The Applicant indemnifies GEC+Africa , its partners, its organising committee, its members, directors and employees against all claims, losses, intellectual property theft, demands, actions, damages and causes of action whatsoever arising directly or indirectly out of acts connected with or arising out of the Congress, whether suffered by them or any other third party, and they hold GEC+Africa  harmless there from. 

1. The Applicant agrees that GEC+Africa , its partners, its organising committee, its officers, employees and agents will not be and/or are not responsible for any injuries, property damage or liability that may arise from their participation in the Congress.  

1. The Applicant assumes full responsibility for their decision to participate in the Congress. 

1. The Applicant releases and agrees to indemnify and hold GEC+Africa, its partners, its organising committee, its officers, employees and agents free and harmless from any and all costs, losses, expenses, damages (direct, indirect, consequential or otherwise), claims, suits, causes of action or any other liability or responsibility whatsoever, including attorney’s fees and related costs, resulting from any injury to any persons or damage to or theft of property arising out of, or which in any manner be connected with the Congress 

1. GENERAL 

1. The laws of the Republic of South Africa shall govern GEC+Africa terms and conditions and the courts of South Africa shall have exclusive jurisdiction.  

1. For further information including dates of the GEC+Africa pitch competitions or to request a copy of these terms and conditions go to the following (www.gecafrica.co)