30/04/2016
Dear Sir, Madam,
DMM.com, long-established website since 1999, providing various entertainment contents (about 40 in total) is one of Japan's leading platform. In terms of membership, DMM.com has reached over 19 million users in 2015. DMM decided now to diversify both domestically and globally, by expanding its services beyond the IT arena while reacting to new business opportunities swiftly and flexibly.
Following this evolution, and after a careful look at the development of the African continent for a decade, and all its potentiality in terms of youth, talents and growth, DMM.com decided to open a new page of its history by creating DMM.Africa. This new branch of DMM.com will be a key-player in the new form of business between Japan and Africa in years to come.
As a first step, DMM.Africa will have the pleasure to hold the first Africa Business Idea Cup (ABIC 2016) hosted by a Japanese company in Africa, in five countries in East Africa this year : Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The goal is to connect Africa and Japan through the development of innovative business ideas of African students and young entrepreneurs in Africa. Giving them the possibility to develop their best ideas, supporting them both financially and technically. ABIC is hosted by Trickster Ltd. and sponsored by DMM.Africa, two companies which have deep rooted relations in Japan.
The winner out of the 5 countries, will receive 5000USD and a plane ticket to Japan. They will also receive logistic support and be able to develop their business, with the help of DMM.Africa.
ABIC 2016, is the first step of what we hope to be a long business relationship with Africa.
In fact, DMM.Africa’s main goal is to invest on a long term scale in Africa, to develop a global growth that would be beneficial to both Japan and Africa. To give the chance to hundreds and thousands of African entrepreneurs to show their uniqueness and talents, not only in Africa, but in the whole world.
According to this project, and in order to make it a great success, we would be honored to receive a logistic support from your institution, on spreading the information to most of people who may have any kind of interest for this project. It can be either students, young entrepreneurs as candidates; or University teachers as Honor Jury of the project.
The Jury screening will take place on the last day of the mentorship program in each country, as written below :
1) Application Deadline: May, 10th
2) Mentorship Program:
During one week for each country, our business mentors give advices to young entrepreneurs and support them in creating their business plans and presentations.
On the last day, a Jury panel will elect the best ideas. The winner will be invited to proceed to the last round in Tanzania.
Dates:
- Harare, Zimbabwe: June, 5th – June, 11th (Jury Presentation day)
3) Final Round: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: July, 16th
- Selection of the best ideas, overall countries participants.
Please do not hesitate to contact us directly for any kind of information by this time, any inquiry or participation as a Jury member, at the following e-mail address : [email protected].
With our highest consideration.
