Mercedes-Benz South Africa Innovation Challenge 2017/18
Deadline: September 29, 2017
Apply for the Mercedes-Benz Challenge! Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA), Stellenbosch University incubator the LaunchLab and Startup Autobahn have partnered to launch the Mercedes-Benz South Africa Innovation Challenge. The challenge is asking interested students and professionals, and existing startups, to pitch their innovative ideas around a set of challenges identified by Mercedes-Benz South Africa.
The challenge spans various topics – ranging from big data and machine learning for manufacturing, the digitisation of logistics and production, app-based solutions for the evaluation of the condition of pre-owned vehicles, and chatbot solutions for manufacturing learning.
Benefits
- Successful participants from the first stream, stand the chance to win incubation support for their innovative ideas.
- Successful participants from the second stream and existing startup companies share ZAR600,000 (US$45,000).
- Successful participants get international exposure.
- Successful participants also get the possibility to become a supplier for Mercedes-Benz South Africa’s global parent company Daimler.
Eligibility
- Applicants with ideas or products that are competitive and presents an attractive market opportunity which has the potential to attract investment are invited to apply.
- Applicants with ideas or businesses with strong, committed, skilled founders (1-5 members) that are willing to accept and act on the advice provided by the LaunchLab are encouraged to apply.
- South African students and professionals and existing startups who have innovative ideas are eligible to apply.
Application process
- Make a 3 minute video pitching your idea and submit your video to the challenge website or via wetransfer.
- The following should be in your video:
- A brief summary of the business.
- What is your customer’s problem?
- How do you solve it?
- What is your progress so far?
- What are your next steps?
- Anything else that you want them to know?