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More than 1000 applications from startups are being assessed for sponsorship to attend GITEX 2020 by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) as final pre-selection process begins.
Watch GFS 2020 expo demo HERE.
GITEX 2020 holds at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) Dubai, United Arab Emirates from 6-10 December, 2020.
All winning pitches, already being processed through NITDA’s subsidiary Office for ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIIE), will get the agency’s full sponsorships to attend the 40th edition of GITEX Technology Week. They will be able to join more than 600 other startups from over 70 countries expected to participate in the GITEX Future Stars (GFS).
The GFS, one of key features of GITEX, is a global startup event, allowing startups to leverage mentorship, training clinics, venture capitalists and angel investors. Startups are also able to compete in the various solutions challenges at the event.
Last year, a Nigerian startup, Chiniki, won the first prize in the AI category at the GFS Supernova Challenge.
The OIIE opened its application portal weeks back with hundreds of applications rolling in. All successful startups will first have to undergo a boot camp to attend the GFS. The global startup gathering kicks off 6-9 December.
In the last four years, The GFS has become a major feature of the GITEX Technology Week, one of the globe’s largest technology innovations and business gatherings in excess of 100, 000 from more than 140 countries. GITEX is the 3rd largest technology event in the world.
The 40th edition of GITEX 2020 holds out as the only live event in 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic that has erased major international meets, and impacted negatively on economies. GITEX 2020 celebrates 40 years with the theme: Inspiring The Next Decade of Breakthroughs.
Also, the GITEX Future Stars will be the only startup event in 2020 to go LIVE, IN-PERSON – with hundreds of startups taking part from over 40 countries, including over 400 local and international investors, corporate and government accelerators and incubators.
Applications from startups applying for the NITDA sponsorship should have solutions focusing on any of these areas:
1. 5G
2. AI & Augmented Analytics
3. Future Mobility (Transportation)
4. Digital Economies
5. Cyber Security and Resilience
6. Cloud and Edge Computing
7. Blockchain Technology
Expectations from applicants:
Applications will be considered and scored by a panel of judges from within the Nigerian technology startup ecosystem based on startup solution addressing any of the problems listed above.
Nigeria is fostering its participation at GITEX 2020 on promoting youth-led enterprises to showcase innovations coming from its tech startups community, and the strong policy-thrust on digital economy. The NITDA inaugurated the GITEX 2020 Local Organising Committee (LOC) last week to begin its preparations for the global event.
