On September 3, Hamburg will experience a very special premiere. AiDiA, the first pitch competition specifically for Afro-German founders, will take place in the Miralles Hall. Eight teams have qualified for the finals, and the main prize is 30,000 euros.
Future of Ghana Germany (FoGG) is the force behind the project. On FoGG's website, there is the following self-description: "Future of Ghana Germany is a non-profit association with the goal of networking young Ghanaians, Germans of African descent and all other interested parties in order to create synergies and promote education." At AiDiA, the primary goal is to give more visibility and exposure to Afro-German entrepreneurs. The organizing team consists of over 30 people from Germany, Spain and Ghana, some of whom have startup experience themselves.
The pitch on September 3 is divided into two categories. The three participants in the idea pitch are still quite at the beginning and will receive valuable feedback for the further development of their business ideas. The five final teams in the founder’s pitch will then compete for the aforementioned prize money of 30,000 euros. There is a wide variety of topics to choose from: an online store for children's books and toys, a manufacturer of rag dolls, a producer of innovative building materials, an app to promote personal development and language learning boxes for children. More detailed information on all the startups is available here.
In addition to the pitch, AiDiA also offers an extensive supporting program. Musician Luna Simao will be performing soulpop, Daniel Abozen has German-language R&B on the program and the band Bashey'z will be offering music and comedy. Guests can also look forward to drinks and finger food with an African touch. The basic financing for the event was secured by a crowdfunding campaign, and well-known supporters such as Paypal, Otto, Snipes, Boris Gloger Consulting GmbH, Blueyard Capital, Hamburg Invest and Techniker Krankenkasse are also on board. You can get tickets here.
