Announcing the agenda for TechCrunch Startup Battlefield Africa

We’re bringing Startup Battlefield back to Africa on December 11, and we’re excited to announce our jam-packed agenda that highlights the best and brightest startups in the region.

For months we’ve been poring through hundreds of applications looking for innovative startups based in Africa. It was tough; the competition was fierce. But we were able to find 15 innovative companies to compete for the top prize. Each company will present a six-minute pitch in front of a panel of judges, vying for US$25,000 in no-equity cash. But that’s not all! Winners will receive a trip for two and the opportunity to compete in Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt SF in 2019. In addition to Startup Battlefield, we have exciting panels covering many facets of startup funding in Africa, as well as the blockchain.

It’s not too late to buy your tickets to this exciting event. Join us as we crown the next startup champion in Africa. Get your tickets here. We still have a few tricks up our sleeves and will be adding some new names to the agenda over the next few weeks, so keep your eyes open. In the meantime, check out these agenda highlights:

9:30 AM – 10:40 AM

Startup Battlefield Session 1

TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back in Africa! Watch as entrepreneurs from around the region pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup.

The first preliminary round of five contestants.

10:40 AM – 11:05 AM

Expats, Repats and Africans with Chris Folayan (Mall for Africa), Shikoh Gitau (Safaricom) and Lexi Novitske (Singularity Investments)

Africa’s tech sector is reshaping the movement of people, investment, and talent between the continent and the world. But what are the pros and cons of repatriates returning to launch companies, expats choosing Africa’s tech scene over others, and VCs deploying greater capital to region?

11:20 AM – 11:40 AM

Coming Soon!

11:40 AM – 12:40 PM

Startup Battlefield Session 2

The second preliminary round of five contestants.

1:40 PM – 2:40 PM

Startup Battlefield Session 3

The third preliminary round of five contestants.

2:40 PM – 3:00 PM

Fireside Chat with Funke Opeke (Main One)

Dubbed as the person responsible for powering broadband across all of West Africa, Funke Opeke has become one of the most well-known people in the African tech community. MainOne, a telecoms company Opeke leads as CEO, is responsible for driving internet use across West Africa by investing in digital infrastructures. In this fireside chat, we will what’s next and how to equip entrepreneurs with the necessary resources to build scalable businesses.

3:00 PM – 3:25 PM

Investing in African Startups with  Kola Aina (Ventures Platform), Marieme Diop (Orange Digital Ventures) and Omobola Johnson (TLcom Capital)

Discussing the unique landscape of the African startup ecosystem and what can be learned from Silicon Valley’s approach to venture capital.

3:40 PM – 4:55 PM

Startup Battlefield Final

The final round. One of these five finalists will be the winner of Startup Battlefield.

4:55 PM – 5:15 PM

Coming Soon!

5:15 PM – 5:40 PM

Blockchain’s Potential in Africa with Olugbenga Agboola (Flutterwave), Nichole Yembra (Greenhouse Capital) and Olaoluwa Samuel-Biyi (SureRemit)

As crypto fever gripped many leading economies in 2018, Africa was shaping its own blockchain narrative—one more grounded in utility than speculation. Over the last year, the continent saw several ICOs and token launches. And use cases for blockchain in Africa are emerging to solve problems and unlock potential in agriculture, solar-energy, health-care, government, and beyond.

5:40 PM

Startup Battlefield Closing Awards Ceremony

Watch the announcement of the Startup Battlefield winner.