Open Startups (OST) continues its efforts to expand the startup ecosystem in Africa by inviting applications for its OST program. Developed in collaboration with Columbia Engineering School and Columbia Business School in New York, the program aims to support early-stage startups. They will also be joined by promising talent from Tunisia, Senegal and Morocco.
The OST programme is designed to help 30 selected startups (10 from each country) progress from the proof-of-concept stage to minimum viable product (MVP) through an intensive 18-week hybrid programme.
The program will run from September 2024 to January 2025, and finalists will be allocated a total of $50,000 in equity-free funding to fuel their growth. In addition to the funding, the program will provide customized training and mentoring from experts, support from MBA students from Columbia Business School, access to an extensive international network, and trips to New York, Tunisia and Morocco, designed to provide participants with international experience and networking opportunities.
Early stage startups with proof of concept, as well as individuals with soft and technical skills, can apply via the linked website. Applications close on July 21, 2024. For more details and additional information on the program, please click on this link.
“The OST program connected us to experts that accelerated our market understanding and product fit. The mentorship and global network accelerated our growth and opened the door to international collaboration,” said Riadh Hamama, alumnus and CEO and founder of LoxBox Services.
The OST program continues OST’s efforts to accelerate tech innovation in Africa. It follows an MOU with French public investment bank BPI France, which aims to bridge African innovation with the French tech ecosystem. During the 2024 Global Immersion Week (GIW) held in Morocco in May, OST signed MOUs with leading Moroccan organizations, including Technopark Maroc and UM6P (Mohammed VI Polytechnic University).
Through the OST Programme, GIW and MOU, OST outlines its commitment to delivering a comprehensive range of programmes that accelerate entrepreneurial development and fuel the growth of African start-ups and ecosystems.
