MultiChoice launched the MultiChoice Accelerator to develop and connect South African startups with global investors to unlock business opportunities at Expo 2020 in Dubai. The Accelerator programme forms part of the MultiChoice Innovation Fund.
MultiChoice has partnered with C3 (Companies Creating Change) to facilitate the programme. C3’s network of experts and trainers will deliver an intensive Investor Readiness (IR) programme. The finale of the programme will be a series of presentations to the global start-up investment community. Each of the start-ups’ journeys will be documented for a new docuseries to be shown in November 2021.
The MultiChoice Accelerator held its opening ceremony on 19 September. The opening ceremony welcomed different stakeholders from MultiChoice, C3, and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition as well as the 20 selected South African start-ups from a range of sectors, including FinTech, CreativeIndustries, HealthTech, AgriProcessing, Sustainability and EdTech.
Over the next few weeks, the entrepreneurs will receive guidance on critical business fundamentals and be exposed to expansion and fundraising opportunities. Out of the 20 start-ups taking part in the programme, six will be selected to attend Expo 2020 in Dubai for a week in January 2022.
Each of the 20 start-ups will take the C3 Growth Predictor test to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, attend 26 hours of training, and submit a three-minute video pitch to evaluators, which will be assessed to select the six who will participate in Dubai Expo.
