Press Release

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has launched a Business Plan Competition called "Next Innovation with Japan (NINJA)", for businesses emerging during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The "NINJA Business Plan Competition" will target startups and organizations from 19 African countries, including Tanzania. The competition is open for startups/organizations in all sectors with a specific focus on emerging businesses in COVID-19-related fields including, but not limited to Health, Disaster management, Business services, Education sector, Food and agriculture, Finance, Logistics and Others.

Interested startups/organizations should accordingly submit their proposals which shall introduce some level of innovation in terms of a business model, a new product, or service that can be more actively used, and/or profitability in the current and post COVID-19 era. The proposals should be commercially-oriented. JICA may cover the budget of the activities up to USD 30,000 for winning startups/organizations. This will cover costs associated with the proposed activities including remuneration of staff, other expenses, and indirect local tax.

<Eligibility Criteria>
To take part in the JICA's NINJA Business Plan Competition, startups/organizations must:

• Have their head office or a branch in one of the following target countries; Angola, Burkina Faso, Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia
• Be a profit/non-profit organization registered as an independent legal entity. Proposals from individuals will not be considered.
• Have a very strong management team of at least 2 people. Have innovative product(s) or service(s) in response or adoptable to the pandemic and post-pandemic society OR have a feasible business plan to create prototypes (MVP).

To apply and get detailed information on the NINJA Business Plan Competition, please click here ( https://weetracker.com/2020/07/05/inviting-african-startups-for-the-ninja-business-plan-competition-in-response-to-covid19/ (external link) and ). Application deadline is 29 July 2020 (First-come, first-reviewed basis). For any queries about the competition, please get in touch with us at the following email address: edgps@jica.go.jp

• For further information, please contact:

JICA Tanzania Office, P.O. Box 9450, Dar es Salaam, Tel: 022-211327/30
Ms. Teruaki Fujii: Fujii.Teruaki@jica.go.jp and Ms. Mariam El Maamry: Maamry-Mariam@jica.go.jp

• About JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)

An incorporated administrative agency in charge of administering Japan's ODA (Official Development Assistance), is one of the world's largest bilateral aid agency supporting socioeconomic development in developing countries in different regions of the world.

In Tanzania, JICA has been a long partner of Tanzania for more than 50 years in many sectors since 1962.