News
Global Start-ups to Compete in $600,000 Rocket Fuel Start-up Pitch Competition at LEAP22
Start-ups from around the world are being invited to go head-to-head to win a share of a USD $600,000 prize fund at the Rocket Fuel Start-up Pitch Competition, and to pitch their businesses to powerhouse VCs and leading international investors.
The competition will be held as part of LEAP, the world’s largest debut technology event, which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in February 2022.
Entries are now open for the Rocket Fuel Start-up Pitch Competition, which will challenge start-ups in a pitch contest to find some of the most exciting and impactful new businesses from around the world. Ninety start-ups will be invited to pitch their business ideas live on stage during LEAP on 1st and 2nd February.
The finalists will have just five minutes to present their best pitches to a panel of international and local investors during LEAP, and convince them that they have what it takes to be one of the top 10 businesses who will go into the Grand Final on 3rd February.
These 10 best entrepreneurs will then get another chance to showcase the merits of their businesses, scored on creativity, innovation, potential, functionality and impact on people and society. The winner will be presented with the LEAP Award for the strongest, most outstanding start-up across the whole competition, and will be awarded the grand prize of $200,000.
The finalists will also compete for three other awards, including The Shooting Star Award for best early-stage start-up, which will win $100,000; the Aviatrix Award for best female-led start-up; and the Technology for Humanity Award for the start-up that best embodies the spirit of LEAP “Technology for Humanity”. The winners of these awards will each receive a prize of $150,000.
LEAP has assembled a world-class judging panel of celebrity investors and business leaders to assess the Rocket Fuel Pitch Competition contestants and put them through their paces. The panel will include: Steven Bartlett, businessman, speaker, investor and content creator, best known for the BBC’s Dragons’ Den; Baroness Karren Brady, business executive and television personality; James Caan, entrepreneur and television personality; Kelly Hoppen, interior designer, author and entrepreneur; Michael Salgado, retired Real Madrid footballer and celebrity investor; Dr. Nabeel Koshak, CEO and board member of the Saudi Venture Capital Co., a prominent Saudi academic, entrepreneur and angel investor, and Hattan Ahmed, Director of Entrepreneurship at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
“Innovation and entrepreneurship are at the core of the technology sector, so it is fitting that the Rocket Fuel Start-up Pitch Competition will recognize some of the best start-ups worldwide as part of LEAP. Saudi Arabia is developing its own booming start-up ecosystem, supported by the Saudi government and private investors, and we look forward to welcoming outstanding international start-ups to join us in Riyadh for LEAP,” said H.E. Eng. Haitham Alohali, Vice Minister at Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
“I am honoured and excited to be speaking at LEAP, which brings together the worlds of technology, entrepreneurship and innovation all in one place,” said Steven Bartlett, Founder of Social Chain and an investor on BBC One show Dragons’ Den.
LEAP is the largest debut technology event in history, taking place from the 1st – 3rd of February 2022 in Riyadh, and is set to become a truly global platform for the entire innovation ecosystem, connecting pioneers and disruptors with business and government leaders, entrepreneurs, investors and more to experience and learn about the technologies of the future.
The Rocket Fuel Start-up Pitch Competition is taking place as a part of LEAP’s Investor Program, which will connect local and international VC investors and funds through an exclusive line-up of matchmaking, networking and investment events that will take place during LEAP.
The investor program will include workshops, 1-on-1 meetings and after-hours functions, to connect VCs and funds from the Middle East region with new tech-focused investment opportunities, as well as supporting local start-ups to explore potential new sources of funding from outside the region.
“LEAP will feature an extensive, dedicated program of activities for investors in line with Saudi Arabia’s aims of developing its own entrepreneurial ecosystem and technology industry. Informa is very excited to be organizing the program and the Rocket Fuel Start-up Pitch Competition to showcase the ingenuity and business potential of local and international start-ups and to connect them with a global investor audience,” said Michael Champion, Regional Executive Vice President – MEA at Informa.
Entries for the Rocket Fuel Start-up Pitch Competition close on 18th January 2022.
Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has warned Nigerians against transacting with three fake Nigerian firms, citing fraudulent incorporation documents and registration numbers not issued by the commission.
According to the CAC, these companies are using fake certificates of incorporation with two different RC numbers each, none of which exist in the commission’s official records.
The affected companies are SPEF Cooperative Society Ltd with RC Numbers 1265884 and 512862, UPIL Staff Cooperative Society Ltd with RC Numbers 1265837 and 553220, and PREM Staff Cooperative Society Ltd with RC Numbers 1265844 and 545901.
The CAC warns that any Nigerian conducting business with these entities does so at their own risk.
“Anyone that transacts any business with the above-mentioned companies does so at their own risk,” the commission warned.
The commission further advised potential partners and investors to verify registration details directly through its official portal before signing contracts or making payments.
Similarly, the CAC, in a bid to enhance its services, introduced an AI-powered business registration platform on July 3, designed to streamline incorporations.
This new system offers instant name reservations, automated business-name suggestions, and same-day registration using a National Identification Number (NIN).
Additionally, the commission plans to review its service fees starting August 1, aiming to make its services more efficient and cost-effective.
The African Development Bank, in partnership with the International Labour Organization, has launched a transformative system to mainstream youth employment, skills development, and entrepreneurship across its investments.
The approach, called the Youth, Jobs and Skills Marker System, is aligned with the Bank’s latest Ten-Year Strategy, which places Africa’s young people at the center of development efforts to maximize the impact of every dollar invested, turning demographics into a dividend.
The Marker System ensures that Bank projects spanning diverse sectors, such as agriculture, transport, energy, water, and education, systematically incorporate components that enhance youth employability, foster entrepreneurship, and build market-relevant skills.
“The Youth, Jobs and Skills Marker System is about ensuring Africa’s young people have a real say and active role in building sustainable economies and creating jobs – not as passive recipients of youth programs,” said Dr. Beth Dunford, the Bank’s Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development. “This transformation of Bank practices and systems is a step toward making sure our investments have a positive impact on Africa’s young women and men.”
The integrated system has three focus areas:
Youth: Supporting youth-led micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises through targeted investments and operational integration.
Skills: Expanding access to practical, market-driven training and apprenticeships to enhance career prospects.
Jobs: Ensuring Bank-funded projects create sustainable job opportunities, particularly by developing youth skills for employability and the promotion of youth-led businesses in priority value chains.
Each year, around 10 to 12 million young Africans enter the labor market, which offers only three million formal jobs annually. The Bank will prioritize youth entrepreneurship and mobilize private sector partnerships to strengthen industry-oriented skills training as well as job creation over the coming decade.
“[This initiative] is very important because it allows us to significantly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #8 that includes decent work for all,” said Peter van Rooij, Director of Multilateral Partnerships and Development Cooperation at the International Labour Organization. “It also allows the International Labour Organization to influence the Bank’s work, to support their lending that is more geared toward more job creation and better jobs in a sustainable way.”
The Youth, Jobs and Skills Marker System is modeled on the success of the Bank’s Gender Marker System and its online dashboard, which categorize Bank projects based on their contribution to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Similarly, the new system will feature an online platform enabling Bank staff and consultants to access real-time data for preparing country strategy papers, mid-term reviews, annual reports, project supervision, and reporting on youth-related skills, businesses and jobs outcomes.
The Bank has just launched a pilot version of the Youth, Jobs and Skills Marker System in readiness for the full implementation in 2026. This system will enhance data tracking, improve estimates of youth skills attainment and employment, strengthen labor market information systems, and support policymakers in making evidence-based decisions that drive meaningful change.
The International Labour Organization provided technical support for the system’s development with financial support from the Bank’s Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund. The Youth, Jobs and Skills Marker System is the first deliberate action of its kind developed by a development finance institution worldwide.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has revealed plans to commence investigation into the activities of an entity operating under FF Tiffany, allegedly running a fraudulent investment scheme that has defrauded citizens.
A statement by the SEC on Tuesday in Abuja said preliminary information revealed that the scheme, which promised investors unusually high and unrealistic returns, had resulted in the loss of several billions of naira.
The SEC said it viewed the activity as a threat to investor confidence and the overall integrity of the financial system.
The commission assured the public that it was working closely with law enforcement agencies and other relevant bodies to bring everyone involved in the unlawful operation to justice.
According to SEC, those found culpable will be prosecuted in accordance with the Investment and Securities Act and regulatory provisions.
SEC reiterated its earlier warnings to the general public to desist from engaging in Ponzi or unregistered investment schemes that promised guaranteed or exaggerated returns.
“These schemes are not registered with the SEC and do not offer investor protection under the law.
“The commission is currently investigating 79 schemes and will make a statement on its findings at the conclusion of the investigation,” the SEC said.
The commission encouraged investors to conduct due diligence and verify the registration status of any investment firm or product by visiting the SEC website or contacting the commission directly through official channels.
SEC said it remained committed to its mandate of protecting investors, ensuring fair practices, and maintaining confidence in Nigeria’s capital market.
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