Join the Swiss delegation to the Blockchain Innovation Challenge in South Africa in September 2023. 

Blockchain technology, governed by open-source networks, is ushering in a new era for monetary systems and mechanisms to store and transfer value. It is widely recognized as one of the most significant technological platforms with the potential to transform societies and create new opportunities across all industries. As a result, numerous startups are emerging in the field of blockchain technology. 

The Swiss-South Africa Blockchain Innovation Challenge, initiated by the Swiss Leading House – University of Basel and the Embassy of Switzerland to South Africa, in collaboration with esteemed partners Swissnex, SEIF, Algorand, CV VC, Wintech, and University of Cape Town: Fintech Hub, provides South African and Swiss blockchain startups with the opportunity to connect and leverage each other’s ecosystems and resources. 

The selected Swiss start-ups will travel to South Africa the week of the 25th of September 2023 and make connections to a growing Swiss-South African Tech for Impact Cluster. After preparation in Switzerland, there will be a common program and then tailored opportunities for each innovator to connect to new partners. In addition to the South African program, there will be opportunities to engage with further University and Industry partners to gain a better understanding of the market in other countries and interact with the local innovation ecosystem. 

What will startups benefit from: 

• access to an exclusive program providing  valuable market support, startup prizes, investment readiness training, and impact masterclasses
• attendance and opportunity to pitch at the SA Innovation Summit 2023, the largest startup event in Africa
• flight costs covered

Requirements

• Swiss based blockchain venture
• Any age 
• Any Industry 
• Contributing to at least one UN SDG
• Early stage: Seed, Pre-Series A and Series A 
• The product should be a conceptual or a working minimal value product that is bold, innovative, and impactful

• Initial income in the form of revenue, funding or bootstrapping has been achieved

   

Application process:

Applicants should fill out the following application form by July 24th, 2023 (by midnight). 

In case of any questions regarding the application please contact sanjna.seralvo@seif.org