FAQ

Tickets will go on sale in spring 2024, so don't miss out on the chance to get a discounted Early Bird ticket by registering with our Newsletter on. Only while stocks last, of course.

Write an e-mail to Lucy Larbi or wear here enter your contact details. We will get back to you with further information.

You can support the project as a sponsor and position yourself at the same time. In addition to (financial) support, we also welcome long-term partnerships with commercial enterprises and initiatives from the Afro-German community.

Spreading the word and publicising our project increases the visibility and relevance of Afro-German economic actors. You can help us by following us on social media and sharing our initiative with your networks.

The pitch event will take place in Hamburg. However, we will also consider virtual formats.

The jury consists of 5 selected people from the (German) economy with expertise from different industries. Here you can find out more about the Jury from 2023 inform. Subscribe to our Newsletter and follow us on our social media channels so as not to miss the announcement of our jury for this year's pitch.

The application period is from 03.03. - 07.04.2024. Your application should be completed and submitted via our portal within this period. Register for our Newsletter and follow us on social media to make sure you don't miss anything.

Yes, the AiDiA Pitch consists of two categories. We differentiate between business ideas (startups in the pre-seed phase) and founded startups (startups in the growth phase) and look forward to innovative ideas from a wide range of industries in both categories.

In the period from 3 March to 7 April 2024, applicants can apply for the idea pitch or the start-up pitch, depending on whether they fulfil the category criteria. You can find further information here.

Registered start-ups with a legal form or start-ups that are part of an incubator or accelerator programme can take part in the start-up pitch. If you only have one good idea that you would like to present, then you should definitely register for the idea pitch. You can find more information here here.

We will keep you up to date during the application phase. You will receive an acceptance or rejection email from our team by summer 2024. To be able to take part in the pitch, at least one person from your team must be available for our preparatory workshops (17 - 18 August 2024) and the pitch event (7 September 2024) in Hamburg. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.

Yes, our world is colourful. AiDiA has set itself the goal of providing a platform for Afro-German founders and giving them more opportunities. It is irrelevant in which constellations they appear.

In any case!

Sure, you can register for the first pitch category (idea pitch). You can find further information here.

Yes and no. The Founder Pitch is specifically for startups that have already been founded or are part of an incubator or accelerator programme. Your application for the Founder's Pitch requires an official document confirming the date of your founding or confirming your participation in an incubator or accelerator programme. However, we recognise that the pre-foundation phase of start-ups can sometimes take longer than planned, which is why we will consider exceptions in our selection process with reservations.

- If you are planning to found a company before the pitch event, please upload a document with your application in which you note your planned founding date. We will contact you during the selection process and check to what extent you and your start-up are suitable for the start-up pitch.

- If you are still waiting to set up your company, it is best to apply for the idea pitch. This will also enable you to take your business development to the next level. In addition to prize money, you will have the opportunity to receive professional mentoring and workshops.

Yes, pitch participants must be of legal age.

A maximum of 2 team members may present their "AiDiA" or startup on stage. With two pitchers, at least 1 person must be Afro-German.

Yes, the winners undertake to use the money exclusively for the further development of the business idea or the expansion of the start-up. AiDiA reserves the right to request proof via a quarterly report, including a financial overview.

The selection is made by selected AiDiA team members and our Advisory Board based on our catalogue of criteria. The applicants with the highest score will receive an invitation to take part in the AiDiA Pitch. In addition, one team per category can secure a direct ticket to the final via our Golden Ticket competition (social media).

• Innovation (What innovations does your AiDiA bring? Does the project already exist or are you a first mover?)
• Economic viability (What economic advantage does your AiDiA bring you? Does your business case pay off?)
• Founder personalities (Who is behind the AiDiA? Do you have the spirit that entrepreneurs need to be successful?)
• Creativity & stage presence (How original is your pitch deck? How unique is your presentation on the pitch stage?)

No, the travel costs for the pitch event will not be covered. However, we will cover the travel costs for our mandatory preparation workshop in August 2024.

AiDiA [pron. eng. "idea"] stands for the ideas of AfroDiAspora.

Our team consists of Afro-German young professionals from various industries. Visit our About us-page to find out more about our team.

Afro-Germans are German citizens of sub-Saharan African descent or people who identify as both German and part of the African diaspora. Around 300,000 citizens with residence status from African countries and around 500,000 Afro-Germans live in Germany. If you include people of African origin with citizenship of non-African countries, around 1 million people in Germany alone can be categorised as part of the African diaspora.