Become an AYuTe Africa Champion

To be considered for the regional AYuTe Africa Challenge, you must: 

• Have a minimum of three years of experience working with smallholder farmers in Africa, with demonstrated impact on their revenue. 

• Show your organization has a sustainable business model that will allow it to stay profitable as it expands operations to serve more smallholder farmers. 

• Demonstrate that you are providing a truly innovative product or service, not merely duplicating something that exists in many other markets. 

• Show there is demand among smallholder farmers for what you are providing and that it’s affordable. 

The AYuTe Africa Challenge is an invitation-only competition. 

If you would like to add your business for consideration, please contact us here. 

• Scouting: Every year, our team of expert scouters seeks out applications from entrepreneurs working in East, West and Southern Africa 

• Online screening: Our team of judges reviews applications to shortlist the top 15 finalists based on predetermined criteria. 

• Technical assessment: 15 companies will pitch a panel of judges for a chance to advance to the next level of the challenge. This stage also involves high-level document review and physical visits. 

• Final pitch events: Two or three companies in each region (East, West and Southern Africa) will make their final pitches to a panel of judges.  

• Due diligence: All finalists will pass through a rigorous due-diligence process. 

• Selection and fund disbursement: AYuTe Africa Champions will be notified and receive cash grants. In 2021, cash grants of up to US$1.5 million were awarded. 

• Ongoing support: AYuTe Africa Champions will work alongside a team of expert advisers and accomplished business veterans to translate their funding into an aggressive expansion strategy. 

EXCEPT AS FURTHER LIMITED IN THESE RULES, THIS CONTEST IS OPEN TO COMPANIES INVITED BY SPONSOR, IN WRITING, TO PARTICIPATE.  THE CONTEST WILL FOCUS ON COMPANIES WITH THEIR HEADQUARTERS LOCATED IN EASTERN, WESTERN, AND SOUTHERN AFRICA. THIS CONTEST IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.  NO PURCHASE, FEE, OR DONATION IS REQUIRED TO ENTER THE CONTEST.  ONLY ONE ENTRY PER COMPANY IS ALLOWED.

A. Definitions:

As used in these Rules, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

1.      “Application” means the application form provided by Sponsor, to Eligible Parties, via the Contest Website (the application form may be amended by Sponsor from time to time).

2.      “Contest” means the AYuTe Africa Challenge, which is an agricultural Tech innovation competition.

3.      “Contest Parties” means (a) Sponsor and its directors, officers, employees, representatives, successors, assigns, volunteers, consultants, contractors, and agents, and (b) Sponsors technical advisors and consultants who assist in carrying out the Contest.

4.      “Contest Period” means the period of time extending from the Contest Beginning Date until the Contest Completion Date; with the understanding that Sponsor shall stop receiving Entries on the Contest Application Deadline Date.

5.      “Disallowed Party(ies)” means (a) Sponsor’s directors, officers, employees, and contractors, and volunteers officially recognized by and registered with Sponsor, along with (i) such person’s immediate family members (spouse, siblings, parents, children, and such siblings’, parents’, and children’s respective spouses), and (ii) any members of such person’s household.

6.      “Eligible Party(ies)” means a company (a) invited by Sponsor, in writing, to participate in the Contest, (b) that is in good standing in its country of origin and in each country where it operates, (c) with which Sponsor may work under the laws of the United States and under other applicable law, and (d) that is NOT a Disallowed Party.

“Entrance Requirements”: once an Eligible Party is invited by Sponsor, in writing, the participate in the Contest, the Eligible Party must complete the Application, and must submit the completed Application to Sponsor in the manner required by Sponsor.

“Entrant(s)” means an Eligible Party who submits an Entry in strict accordance with these Rules.

“Entry(ies)” means an Application, completed and submitted in the manner required by Sponsor.

“Prize” means:  Funding in a mix of grant and investment(equity and/or debt) and scale-up advisory support

“Prize Winner(s)” is defined and described in the Selection Procedures section below.

“Qualifying Entry(ies)” means an Entry that has been timely submitted by an Entrant, and timely received by Sponsor on or before the Contest Application Deadline Date in accordance with these Rules, all as determined by Sponsor in its sole and absolute discretion.

“Sponsor” means, collectively, (a) Heifer Project International, a nonprofit corporation formed under the laws of the State of Arkansas, United States of America, carrying out charitable work internationally and dedicated to ending hunger and poverty and caring for the Earth, and (b) Heifer Project International’s wholly-owned subsidiary Heifer Nigeria Ltd/Gte, a company limited by guarantee formed under the laws of Nigeria.

“Sponsor Documents” means the following documents, in Sponsor’s format: (a) an affidavit of eligibility; (b) a liability/publicity release; and (c) any other documents requested by Sponsor.

B.         Contest Period and Sponsor:

1.      The Contest is sponsored by Sponsor.

2.      The Contest will be open for the Contest Period; with the understanding that Sponsor shall stop receiving entries on the Contest Application Deadline Date.

C.         Eligibility:

1.      The Contest is open to Eligible Parties who submit a Qualifying Entry to Sponsor. 

2.      The Contest is void where prohibited by law.

3.      DISALLOWED PARTIES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO ENTER OR WIN THIS CONTEST.

4.      ONLY ONE ENTRY PER COMPANY IS ALLOWED.

5.      No purchase, fee, or donation is required to enter the Contest.

D.        Winners and Prizes:

1.      A Prize will be awarded to each Prize Winner in accordance with the Selection Procedures section below.

2.      A Prize may not be substituted, transferred, or redeemed for cash except in Sponsor’s sole and absolute discretion. 

3.      In case of Prize unavailability, Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value.

4.      CONTEST PARTIES HAVE NOT MADE, AND ARE NOT IN ANY MANNER RESPONSIBLE FOR, ANY WARRANTY, REPRESENTATION, OR GUARANTEE, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN FACT OR IN LAW, RELATIVE TO ANY PRIZE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO A PRIZE’S QUALITY, CONDITION, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, REPRESENTATIONS, AND/OR GUARANTEES WITH RESPECT TO A PRIZE (IF ANY) ARE SUBJECT TO THE RESPECTIVE MANUFACTURER’S OR SERVICE PROVIDER’S TERMS THEREFOR, AND A PRIZE WINNER AGREES TO LOOK SOLELY TO SUCH MANUFACTURER OR SERVICE PROVIDER FOR ANY SUCH WARRANTY, REPRESENTATION, AND/OR GUARANTEE.

5.      Arrangements for the fulfillment of the applicable Prizes will be made by Sponsor in its sole and absolute discretion. 

6.      Receipt of any Prize is conditioned upon compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations. 

7.      A Prize Winner is solely responsible for the payment of all taxes and fees associated with a Prize and its use.

8.      Odds of winning a Prize depend in part upon the quality of the Qualifying Entries.

E.         General Prize Rules:

1.      Prize Winners will be determined on or before the Determination Date, based upon the application of the Selection Procedures described below. 

2.      Prize Winners will be notified on or before the Notification Date (subject to these Rules). 

3.      Sponsor will make three (3) attempts to contact a Prize Winner via phone and/or email within seventy-two (72) hours after the Determination Date.  If Sponsor is unable to reach a Prize Winner via phone and/or email within this time frame, or if a Prize Winner fails to respond via phone and/or email within this time frame, such Prize Winner will be disqualified and an alternate Prize Winner will be determined based upon additional random drawing(s) among remaining Qualifying Entries.

4.      BEFORE A PRIZE WINNER MAY RECEIVE THE APPLICABLE PRIZE, THE PRIZE WINNER WILL BE REQUIRED TO SIGN AND RETURN TO SPONSOR THE SPONSOR DOCUMENTS.

5.      A PRIZE WINNER’S FAILURE TO (A) SIGN AND RETURN THE SPONSOR DOCUMENTS WITHIN THREE (3) BUSINESS DAYS AFTER RECEIPT, AND/OR (B) COMPLY WITH THESE RULES, WILL CAUSE A PRIZE WINNER TO FORFEIT AND LOSE ALL CLAIMS AND RIGHTS TO THE APPLICABLE PRIZE, AND AN ALTERNATE PRIZE WINNER WILL BE SELECTED BY SPONSOR AMONG REMAINING QUALIFYING ENTRIES.

F.         How to Enter:

1.      An Eligible Party must follow the Entrance Requirements in order to become an Entrant.

2.     During the Contest Period, please visit the Contest Website and make certain you read and fully understand these Rules.

3.      Sponsor has the sole and absolute discretion to determine whether an Entry qualifies as a Qualifying Entry.

4.      Sponsor, in its sole and absolute discretion, may disqualify any Entrant who fails to comply with these Rules.  Such disqualified Entrant may not participate in the Contest, and the disqualified Entrant’s Entry may not be submitted by another party.

G.        Conditions: 

1.      One may only enter the Contest once.

2.      All Entries must be made via the contest website.  Entries that are incomplete or non-compliant with these Rules will be void.  Sponsor is not responsible for incorrect, inaccurate, or incomplete Entries.  Information contained in each Entry, and in Sponsor's records, is subject to verification by Sponsor in such frequency and manner as Sponsor, in its sole and absolute discretion, deems appropriate.  Entries that are incomplete, forged, or otherwise defective, or made outside authorized channels, including those that have failed due to human processing error or otherwise, shall be void.

3.      Participation in Contest constitutes permission for Sponsor and Contest Parties to use Entrant’s and Entrant’s employees’ names, countries, regions, and cities of residence, photographs, or any other likenesses, including his/her voice, recorded or live, or testimonials, for purposes of Sponsor’s advertising, promotion, and public relations, in any and all forms of media, throughout the world, in perpetuity, without further compensation, except where prohibited by law.  Entrants and Entrant’s employees agree to hold Sponsor and the Contest Parties harmless and without liability for any such publication, broadcast, or use.

4.      PRIZE WINNERS AND ALL ENTRANTS, AS A CONDITION OF ENTRY INTO THE CONTEST, AGREE TO INDEMNIFY, DEFEND, HOLD HARMLESS AND RELEASE CONTEST PARTIES FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL LIABILITY, CLAIMS, OR ACTIONS OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INFRINGEMENT, INJURIES, DAMAGES, OR LOSSES OF ANY KIND TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY, WHICH ARE OR MAY BE SUSTAINED:

   1.    IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONDUCT, PROMOTION, OR OUTCOME OF THE CONTEST;

   2. IN CONNECTION WITH THE RECEIPT, OWNERSHIP, USE, OR MISUSE OF ANY PRIZE;

   3.    DUE TO ANY TYPOGRAPHICAL OR OTHER ERROR IN THESE RULES, OR THE ANNOUNCEMENT OR OFFERING OF THE PRIZES; AND

   4.   WHILE PREPARING FOR, PARTICIPATING IN, OR TRAVELING TO AND/OR FROM ANY PRIZE-RELATED ACTIVITY.

   UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL THE CONTEST PARTIES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES.

5.      Contest Parties are not responsible for:

   1.    technical, hardware, software, or platform malfunctions or other errors;

   2.   telephone failures of any kind;

   3.    lost or unavailable network connections;

   4.    failed, incorrect, inaccurate, incomplete, garbled or delayed electronic communications, whether caused by the sender or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Contest;

   5.    incorrect or inaccurate Entry information; or

   6.     late, lost, misdirected or incomplete Entries.

6.      Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to cancel or suspend the Contest or any portion thereof should a virus, bug, technical failure, malicious tampering, unauthorized intervention or other cause beyond the control of Sponsor corrupt the administration, proper playing, or proper completion of the Contest.  In the event of cancellation, Sponsor will award the Prizes in accordance with the Selection Procedures section.

7.      Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to disqualify anyone found to be tampering with the Entry process or the operation of the Contest or Contest Website, or to be acting in violation of these Rules, or to be acting in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any other person.

8.      Sponsor may use various social media channels including, but not limited to, Facebook and Instagram to promote the Contest. Each Entrant (a) acknowledges that the Contest is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, Facebook or Instagram, and (b) releases Facebook and Instagram of any and all liability related to the Contest.

9.      Sponsor may modify and amend these Rules as they appear in print or online from time to time during the Contest Period for clarification purposes.  Sponsor is not responsible for any typographical or printing errors in the advertising of the Prizes included in the Contest or these Rules, the Contest Website, or other promotional materials.

H.        Selection Procedure:

Stage 1: Sponsor will focus on inviting growth-stage AgTech companies, identified by Sponsor with assistance from its technical advisors and consultants, to participate in the Contest.

Stage 2: Selected companies will be invited to submit a completed Application.

Stage 3: An online screening will occur, and fifteen (15) Entrants will be selected.  These fifteen (15) Entrants will be invited to pitch their companies to Sponsor’s judges.  These (15) Entrants will undergo a due diligence process during which they submit some documents, answer questions, and provide additional information. Sponsor’s judges will select nine (9) finalists from the fifteen (15) Entrants.

Stage 4: The nine (9) finalists will be invited to pitch their companies to Sponsor’s judges. The six (6) selected companies from this pitch  will undergo a final due diligence process during which they submit additional documents, answer additional questions, and provide additional information.  At the end of the due diligence phase, Sponsor expects to select  Prize Winners from the finalists.

Eligibility Criteria for Selection Procedure :

Applicants should have:

- Minimum of three (3) years of operations working with smallholder farmers with financial statements

- Strong organizational and operational structure

- Ability for business to get to scale and impact a large number of smallholder farmers

- Recorded evidence of demonstrated impact on smallholder farmers’ revenue

- Identifiable technological innovation that addresses the following problems for smallholder farmers:

▪       Smallholder farmer productivity

▪       Smallholder farmer income

▪       Labour intensiveness of operations

▪       Resilience

▪       Access to information for smallholder farmers

- Strong competitive advantage.

Any decision or determination that may be made by Sponsor under these Rules, or in connection with this Contest, shall be made in Sponsor’s sole and absolute discretion.  By participating in this Contest, Entrants agree that the selection decisions of Sponsor shall be final and binding in all respects.

I.          Data Collection:

Sponsor will be collecting personal data about Entrants and Entrant’s employees in connection with the Contest.  Please review Sponsor’s Privacy Policy at www.heifer.org.  By participating in the Contest, Entrants agree to all of the terms and conditions of Sponsor’s Privacy Policy. 

J.          Winners List:

Prize Winners will be made known to the public via the Contest Website and, if possible, through a public awards ceremony.

• Have launched your start-up in the last three years

• Based in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda or Zambia (specific eligibility differs by country, click each country to learn more).

• Have developed a tech solution to address smallholder farmer challenges with strong potential to scale

The application and selection process varies by country. For more, please contact us here.