Want a free ticket to Startup Battlefield Africa 2018? – TechCrunch

We’re entering the final days leading up to Startup Battlefield Africa 2018, which takes place on 11 December. We have our passports, we’re packing our bags and we can’t wait to arrive in Lagos, Nigeria to watch 15 of the continent’s best startups launch to the world.

Will you be there cheering the competitors and celebrating the richness of Africa’s growing startup scene? We’ve sold out of tickets to the day-long event, but — and this is great news — we set aside a limited quantity of tickets that we’re giving away for free. If you want one, act now and apply for a free ticket before they disappear.

Center stage of this day-long, action-packed event is, of course, our renowned pitch competition, Startup Battlefield. Out of hundreds of applications, we winnowed the field to 15 remarkable early-stage startups across Africa. Startup Battlefield consists of three preliminary rounds — five teams per round — followed by a final round.

Teams have only six minutes to pitch and demo their product to a panel of expert judges. After each pitch, the judges run the presenting founders through a gauntlet of tough questions. Up to five teams will move on to the finals to pitch and answer questions again.

One team will claim the Startup Battlefield Cup, along with US$25,000 in no-equity cash. Plus, the winning founders also win a trip for two and the opportunity to compete in Startup Battlefield at a TechCrunch Disrupt in 2019.

Between rounds, we have a slew of outstanding presentations and panelists scheduled to discuss the most pressing issues facing early-stage startups in the region. Check out the conference agenda, but some of the people you’ll hear and learn from include:

• Omobola Johnson, a senior partner at TLcom Capital, is the former minister of communication technology for Nigeria. Her 25-year tenure at Accenture — as managing director — informs her expansive knowledge of startup investing.
• Lexi Novitske, the principal investment officer for Singularity Investments, manages the firm’s Africa portfolio. She’s a proponent of understanding local complexities, modifying Western business attitudes and working with companies to ensure desired results.
• Marième Diop, an investor at Orange Digital Ventures Africa, focuses on early-stage African startups, and she’ll be talking all about venture capital.
• Shikoh Gitau, the head of product at Safaricom’s Alpha incubator, will share her perspective on the talent and innovation within Africa’s expanding startup landscape. She’ll also talk about repatriating entrepreneurs.

Come and join us in Lagos on 11 December. Experience Startup Battlefield Africa 2018, engage in world-class networking and spend a full day celebrating the awesome talent of the region’s startup community. All you need to do is apply for your free ticket right here.