USD 250,000 prize for best start-up
OCP Africa a subsidiary of OCP Group is launching a start-up acceleration programme called Impulse, in a bid to to build linkages between corporations and start-ups using Agri tech solutions to help unlock Ethiopia’s agricultural potential.
The programme was launched last Tuesday at Sheraton Addis Hotel in the presence of incubators and the OCP country director to brief on the overall scheme of the programme that makes Ethiopia the last stop following the success of the Impulse Program in Ghana, Nigeria and Ivory Coast.
The Impulse program offers numerous advantages to accelerate the development of innovative start-ups including mentoring, coaching, and access to potential business opportunities.
The Impulse program is a 12-week acceleration program dedicated to innovative startups in the fields of Agritech, Biotech, Mining tech and Materials Science & Nano Engineering which was designed in partnership with OCP Group and Mohammed and the 6th Polytechnic University.
“The ultimate goal of the project is to maximize the yield so to increase the revenue of African farmers,” said, Mahdi Filani, OCP Ethiopia Country Director.
The Impulse program targets start-ups operating in fields related to the value chain of OCP Group and UM6P’s research agenda to help Africa’s agriculture sector increase its productivity in a sustainable manner
“The agricultural transformation in Ethiopia represents a unique opportunity for Agritech start-ups and we believe the Impulse start-up acceleration program can add value to develop Ethiopia’s agriculture sector, through innovative technologies.” he adds.
“Impulse can play a significant role in the acceleration of innovative technologies that are transforming agri-businesses and smallholder farming techniques in Ethiopia, a country where over eighty percent of the population is engaged in agriculture,” said, Adnane Alaoui Soulimani, Impulse Program Director.
OCP Africa, a subsidiary of OCP Group is a leading global provider of phosphate and its derivatives with almost 100 years of experience. Based in Morocco, OCP Africa, was created to work hand-in-hand with farmers to contribute to unlocking Africa’s vast, diversity and complex needs of Africa’s soils, and is committed to offering the right fertilizer products at the right time, in the right place, at the right price.
Study trips to the ecosystems of Boston and Lausanne, and a 250,000 USD cash prize to be shared between winning start-ups on the final day.
“OCP always works to Creating sustainable partnerships with entrepreneurs, to create more opportunities for youth and women in the agricultural sector,” Soulimani says.
