Project NINJA

Project NINJA, JICA and MinT
Time to celebrate six Ethiopian NINJAs that can disrupt critical sectors through tech innovation!
Join us for a kickoff conference on April 7,2023
From 9 AM-11:30 AM (EAT), 3PM - 5:30 PM(JST)

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Ministry of Innovation and Technology of Ethiopia (MinT) are pleased to announce the "Ethiopia Acceleration Program Kickoff & Pitch event " for investors and companies from Japan and from all over the world as well as anyone interested in Africa, as part of "Project NINJA (Next Innovation with Japan)"^[1].

15 Ethiopian startups which have passed the first and second rounds among approximately 100 applicants will pitch and the 6 companies will be selected to participate in the Acceleration Program! The 6 selected startups will conduct Proof of Concept (PoC) with JICA and will join four months of business development training. They will also participate in a knowledge co-creation program in Japan in June 2023.

This is a great opportunity to get to know the businesses of the startups that have been selected through a rigorous selection process!

The top 6 startups will be selected by your vote on the day of the event. Also, startups will elaborate their business plan based on your questions and comments.

We look forward to your active participation.

• [Please register here (English)]

If you would like to meet with these startups in Japan during the knowledge co-creation program from 10 June(Sat) to 21 June(Wed) 2023, please contact the person in charge by April 30 (Sun), 2023. In between lectures and visits, we will arrange the date and time as much as possible (please note that it may be difficult to make adjustments). It is intended to be face-to-face, but it can also be online.(The person in charge: AOKI Rika (Ms.) Team 2, Private Sector Development Group, Economic Development Department Email address:Aoki.Rika2@jica.go.jp )

Ethiopia's Tech Market is attracting global attention

As digital transformation (DX) accelerates worldwide, new businesses utilizing African technology are attracting attention, and investment from Europe and the U.S. is increasing as they focus on the potential market. With a population of around 112 million, Ethiopia is a market large enough for startups to develop their businesses. The country is full of potential, with little competition for companies, while market growth is expected to be significant as the country transitions to a digital economy due to the recent easing of the telecommunications environment and policies aimed at expanding the digital economy.

Event Details

- Name: Ethiopia Acceleration Program Kickoff & Pitch event
- Organizers: JICA, MinT
- Date & Time: Friday, April 7th, 2023, 9:00-11:30am (EAT), 3:00-5:00pm (JST)

9:00am (3:00pm)	Opening remarks
9:15am (3:15pm)	Panel discussion -Theme: Ethiopian Startup
9:45am (3:45pm)	Pitches by 6 Ethiopian startups and judging Each startup will pitch and be judged. Please refer to the "Startups" section below to learn more about the startups who will be pitching. Please use Zoom's "Ask a Question" function to participate in the Q&A session.
10:45am (4:45pm)	Voting by Online Participants We invite you to participate in the voting process by using Zoom's "Vote" function. Your vote will determine the first-place startup! Votes and comments by the judges
11:15am (5:15pm)	Closing remarks

Startups

Bemhreth Gezahegn

Gebeta Software PLC

Product name: Gebeta Maps/Gebeta Kitchens
Sector: Digitization in ICT/ logistics-tech
Established in 2019
Number of Employees: <5
Description: Gebeta Software is a software company working on providing solutions and platforms to facilitate logistics, routing and similar services at an affordable rate.
Website: gebeta.app (external link)

Dek Ali Tunyar

Fibermart Trading Company

Product name: Fibermart
Sector: Manufacture (Energy)
Established in 2018
Number of Employees: 10+
Description: Fibermart Trading designs and deploy energy kiosks that are powered by solar. They can be used to provide financial access and connectivity for frontier markets. The kiosks have a refrigerator, charging hub and WiFi.
Website: Fiberkiosk.com (external link)

Daniel Getachew

Guzo Technologies PLC

Product name: Guzomap XR Studio
Sector: E-Tourism/VR-Tourism
Established in 2019
Number of Employees: 6-10
Description: Guzo Technologies Plc (Guzotech) is an Internet of Things and XR(Extended Reality) products prototyping startup headquartered in Addis Ababa. Guzotech builds interactive and immersive experiences for enterprises and government institutions.
Website: guzo.tech (external link)

Dr Michael Endale

WeCare Digital Health

Product name: WeCare Digital Health
Sector: Health-Tech
Established in 2021
Number of Employees: 6-10
Description: WeCare Digital Health is a SaaS company with an innovative virtual health consultation service. Their mobile applications, along with their call center, aims to help clients book and consult a healthcare professional of their choice from the comfort of their homes.
Website: wecare.et (external link)

Dawit Nigusu

Storm Online Technologies/Shemach

Product name: Shemach
Sector: Digitization in ICT
Established in 2022
Number of Employees: 10+
Description: Shemach is a one-stop digital marketplace that connects retailers and FMCG manufacturers. Retailers order products via their platform from the comfort of their shop and receive same-day free delivery.
FMCG manufacturers are then able to obtain real-time market insight and processed data on their retail customers.
Website: shemach.co (external link)

Amein Eskinder

Commerce 360

Product name: Taywan
Sector: Retail Tech
Established in 2020
Number of Employees: 20+
Description: Taywan is a B2B E-commerce and financing embedded platform that empowers informal trade and restocking for merchants, retailers, and kiosk across Ethiopia.
Website: taywan.store (external link)

Ethiopia Acceleration Program Overview

JICA and MinT are implementing the NINJA Acceleration Program with the aim of supporting outstanding startups that solve social problems and contribute significantly to economic growth and employment in Ethiopia. The program and pitch competition are aimed at improving and enhancing the environment of startups by helping entrepreneurs obtain training, improve access to funding and connect them with critical resources to actualize their business plans.

A call for participating companies was issued in December 2022, and 31 companies were selected in the first round from approximately 100 Ethiopian applicants. In January 2023, 31 companies participated in a one-week training program and RENEW CAPITAL, an investment firm active in Africa and headquartered in Ethiopia, gave lectures on everything from startup success secrets to finance and pitching training. Investors provided advice on each company's pitch, and entrepreneurs actively asked questions, commissioned by JICA. In the second round of the selection process held in February, each company demonstrated the pitch skills brushed up in the above training. About 100 viewers participated in the online and on-site final pitch selection on March 8, and the final 6 companies were selected.

In this event, six companies that have overcome the entire process and selected among 15 startups, will pitch as a kick-off of the four-month acceleration program. The six companies will take a four-month business development training and proof of concept (PoC), and will participate in knowledge co-creation program in Japan in June 2023.

Milestones to Date

１) One-week training program

31 companies, selected from approximately 100 companies through a screening process, participated in the training. Each company gave a demo pitch, and received lectures from an investor from Renew, an Ethiopia-based investment firm commissioned by JICA. Other entrepreneurs asked questions in the role of "investors" and learned what is the best pitch from the perspective of "investors". They also received lectures on finance, marketing, Product Market Fit (PMF), and other skills necessary for entrepreneurs.

2) Second round of selection

In February, startups that participated in the one-week training program went on to the second-round selection process, using the pitch deck and skills that they had brushed up on during the training. The judges were amazed at the pitches, which were more polished than those during the training. As a result, 15 companies were selected.

3) Final Pitch (Final Selection)

On March 8, 2023, the final pitch was held physically and online, connected to the world. Approximately 220 people pre-registered for the event, and about 100 people participated online and at the venue. 15 people made passionate final pitches, and tough questions were asked by a panel of judges (investors). After the selection, the entrepreneurs communicated with each other and commented that they were more nervous than usual with the video camera and the tough questions from the judges, and they also showed their expressions of accomplishment after the event. Later, 6 start-ups were selected from them.