By Juliet Umeh
As the world marks the Earth Day today, a leading advocate for climate resilience and sustainable development, Climate Action Africa, CAA, has announced the opening of applications for the Deal Room at the 2024 Climate Action Africa Forum, CAAF24.
Those eligible to apply include venture capitalists, impact investors, climate tech startups, Green SMEs, philanthropic organisations, and government representatives
Co-founder and Executive Director at CAA, Grace Mbah explained that the Deal Room is a platform that aims to connect high-impact climate innovators in Africa with potential investors seeking to accelerate sustainable solutions.
She said: “The CAAF Deal Room aims to create opportunities for innovators in the climate-tech domain focusing on emission reduction, energy, agriculture, transportation, circular economy, and building and construction. The goal of the Deal Room is to select finalists who will have the opportunity to pitch their innovative ideas and solutions at the upcoming 2024 Climate Action Africa Forum, which will be held on June 19th in Lagos.
“The Deal Room aims to boost investments in Africa’s green economy by galvanising a community of innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors to create applicable solutions that can mitigate the challenges of climate change on the African continent.
“Through the CAAF24 Deal Room, we aim to bridge the critical gap between promising climate ventures and the essential resources they need to thrive. By facilitating connections between passionate entrepreneurs and dedicated investors, we can collectively unlock the immense potential of climate solutions in Africa. ”
Stating criteria to apply, she said: “The Company must be African-owned and operate in any of the 54 African countries; it must be a for-profit company, between one to five years post-incorporation, minimum viable product, and post-GTM (go-to-market).
The company should leverage digital technology to deliver its business model; and female ownership is an added advantage,” Mbah stated.
She explained that following the CAAF24 deal-room will be a post-event accelerator in partnership with the Silicon Valley-based Founder Institute and IDEA Africa.
She said: “This Africa-wide initiative is specifically designed to further accelerate and enhance support for promising Climate Tech startups and founders who participated in the Deal Room. The official unveiling of this accelerator will take place at the CAAF24, marking a significant step forward in driving Climate Tech innovations throughout Africa.
Applications for the CAAF24 Deal Room are open from April 22nd until May 17th and interested applicants can register at the website,” she added.