Application Deadline: February 22, 2023
The African Development Bank’s Fashionomics Africa Call for Applications is seeking for African Fashion, Textile, Apparel and Accessories entrepreneurs and businesses to apply and benefit from the Fashionomics Africa Online Incubator and Accelerator programs.
The programs’ duration will be 8-weeks each and the content will be available in English, French, Arabic and Portuguese.
Through a competitive process, the most promising fashion entrepreneurs will be invited to pitch their business ideas at the online Fashionomics Africa Pitching Days Competitions, resulting in 12 finalists each from the incubator and accelerator programs, who will vie/compete for the top 2 prizes of 20,000 USD each to scale up their operations.
Fashionomics Africa is an initiative of the African Development Bank Group to foster the fashion industry in Africa as a lever to create jobs.
The objective is to support the growth of micro-small and medium-sized enterprises that dominate this industry, equipping them with the necessary business skills, financial acumen, access to markets, market intelligence, and financing opportunities to scale up their businesses in an increasingly digitalized economy.
Eligibility?
- The competition is open to participants who can provide an identification document like a passport, national ID card or voters card issued in an African country, and/or domiciled in African countries.
- Applicants should be 18 years of age and above. Priority will be given to youth (18-35) and women-led fashion businesses.
- Any fashion micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) or fashion entrepreneurs operating in the fashion ecosystem, including but not limited to fashion designing and dressmaking, accessories design and making, textile design, fashion illustration, fashion photography, technology-enabled fashion businesses, and service providers whose main sector of focus is fashion, are welcome to apply.
- Applicants should have an existing account on the Fashionomics Africa Platform or create one here.
Fashionomics Africa Incubator Program – Specific Selection Criteria
- Fashion business entities under three (3) years, either registered or not registered.
- Fashion business has at least deployed a proof of concept, at the micro, small or medium level.
- The application provides a clear and detailed description of the fashion business.
Fashionomics Africa Accelerator Program – Specific Selection Criteria
- Entities should be formally registered as a business in the African country of operation.
- Fashion business/start-up needs to be at the growth stage (must have existed for at least 3 years, have solid traction with clear product and sale channels and customer base).
Other Important Timelines
- Selection and onboarding: 23-28 February 2023
- Online incubator and accelerator programs: 9 March – 28 April 2023
- Shortlist of 12 fashion entrepreneurs: May 2023
- Pitching/demo day: End of May 2023
- Award ceremony: June 2023
