Dark and Lovely x SLA Beauty Accelerator 2018 for Early-stage Entrepreneurs in Africa (Fully-funded)

Deadline: September 21, 2018

Applications are open for the Dark and Lovely x SLA Beauty Accelerator 2018. The Dark and Lovely x SLA Beauty Accelerator is a 10 week entrepreneurship development program to support early stage entrepreneurs who are building innovative businesses in the beauty industry. The Program is led by the She Leads Africa and Dark and Lovely team.

Benefits

• Participants will spend 10 weeks with support to help grow and scale their businesses.
• The top three of participants will receive a $5000, $3000, and $1000 cash prize respectively.

Acceptance into the SLA Accelerator will provide you with access to support from She Leads Africa and Dark and Lovely team. This support will include:

• Media promotions – we are often contacted by local and international media who are looking to interview female entrepreneurs. You’ll always be put forward first.
• Promotion through SLA’s online community
• Access to SLA’s network of supporters, influencers and advisors.

Each Selected Participant must be available to travel to Johannesburg, South Africa or Nairobi, Kenya during the following dates:

• The Business Bootcamp week from 1 October – 5 October 2018, and
• The Pitch Week and Demo Day from  3 December – 8 December 2018.
• Participants who require a visa for travel will be provided with an official visa invitation letter and will be reimbursed for their expenses upon submission of proper documentation.

Each Selected Participant must be available at the decided weekly check-in times between 8 October – 30 November 2018. Weekly times will be agreed upon once the program commences.

Eligibility

• Business must be based in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria or South Africa
• Business with at least one female member on the founding team between the ages of 18 and 35
• Business that has received less than $50,000 in funding
• Business that is less than 3 years in operation
• Business that has already begun operations and has a live product on the market
• Entrepreneurs at the idea stage are not eligible to apply

They’re looking for creative businesses all across the beauty industry such as:

• Media: Platforms that make it easier for women to learn beauty techniques, discover new styles and connect with customers
• Products: Physical products that enhance the beauty process
• Technology: Software and services that support the beauty industry
• Retail: Platforms that simplify the buying process for consumers
• And many more…..

Criteria

The review committee will be evaluating applications against several critical factors:

• Solution (20%): Is the company’s product solving a major problem or pain point for the customer? How well does the solution address the problem? Assessment of the proof of concept and product/market fit.
• Team (20%): Assessing the team’s competencies, is this the best team to solve the problem the business is attempting to be the solution for.
• Traction (15%): Is there proof of existing customers and revenue generated to date
• Scalability (15%): Does the business demonstrate a significant capacity for future growth
• Market size (10%): Is there a large addressable market for the company’s product?
• Clear growth strategy (10%): Feasibility of the milestones identified by the company for the next 6 months
• Unique Value (10%): The company’s product’s edge over other similar products

Application

• Complete this online form
• Agree to the terms and conditions
• Submit a 1-minute pitch video (optional)
• Submit a pitch deck