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JICA to grant $15,000 to startups in Africa under its accelerator program
TOKYO – The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is expanding its start-up accelerator program (NINJA Accelerator) in Africa in 2021. Having been to Ethiopia in 2020, the accelerator program is going to Kenya in 2021.
The program is part of the “Next Innovation with Japan project”, Project NINJA and is one in the series which the group will launch in the next three years.
Double Feather Partners (DFP)/ Deloitte Tohmatsu consortium, and GrowthAfrica have partnered with JICA on the 2021 accelerator program in Kenya.
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NINJA Accelerator Program in Kenya, Nairobi is scheduled for April 7, 2021, and applications are open until February 22, 2021.
What is NINJA Accelerator
The NINJA Accelerator Program wants to empower participating businesses with strategic partnerships, mentorships as well as with fund.
JICA will carefully select the first cohort of five Kenyan start-ups after the application. They will take part in a three-month, tailored, intensive program that offers a unique blend of African/Japanese expertise.
More so, they will have access to a pool of Japanese, African and global mentors and investors.
Each selected startup will receive $15,000 Welcome Award from Double Feather Partners, as well as a chance to participate in a business event in Tokyo courtesy of JICA among other surprises.
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The accelerator program will boost JICA’s engagement with African start-ups, building upon its “NINJA Business Plan Competition in Response to COVID-19”.
Correspondingly, JICA will stream the grand finale of its “NINJA Business Plan Competition in Response to COVID-19” from Tokyo on February 26, 2021.
More information is available on the program’s website at www.jica.ninja.
