Total’s “Startupper of the Year” contest to boost African startups

Startups in 34 African countries are set to benefit from a recently launched contest dubbed “Startupper of the Year” by Total as part of a sweeping contest to support business creation and development.

The competition will see three businesses (No restricted in terms of business field) per country and one hundred continent-wide win the title of “Startupper of the Year by Total”.

Contestants for the competition must be under 35 and the creators of a business that is less than two years old. The applications should be submitted on line at a dedicated website between November 1 and January 31, 2016 (for the inaugural contest).

Apart from the tittle, winners of the competition will also receive the following from Total: financial support (cash prize), personalized business support and coaching and heightened exposure for their project via the contest’s media campaign and billboard/poster advertising.

“We’ve been active in Africa for 80 years. We’ve been there through thick and thin. We’re involved with local partners and our affiliates and joint ventures have shareholders from Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, Morocco and other countries. Our service station managers are also local people. So of course we take an interest in how things are in our host countries. One of the problems that caught our attention was access to energy. Our response is Awango by Total,” said Momar Nguer, Senior Vice President, Africa/Middle East in Marketing & Services.  “The second problem we want to help solve today through this contest is access to employment. Half of Africa’s population is under 21. There aren’t enough businesses to provide jobs for them all,”

Each participating country will have its own jury, made up of 10 members. It will include the CEO of Total’s affiliate as well as prominent business people.

“In Mauritius, for example, our individual sponsor will be the country’s president, who is very enthusiastic in her support for the project. That means the young winners will gain valuable contacts,” Mr. Nguer added.

The competition was launched in partnership with M&S in 34 countries in the AMO region (Africa), with E&P in four of them (Gabon, Angola, Republic of the Congo, Nigeria). Through the contest, M&S, in cooperation with E&P in four of the countries, is tackling the problem of youth access to employment in a region of the world where more than 50% of the population is under 21.

“As soon as AMO launched the project I told Pierre, who is fantastic to work with, about it, suggesting that we team up if that made sense for them. He agreed to help us out straightaway,” Anne-Françoise Degryck, Chief Executive Officer, Total Congo (M&S) said.

“We already work a lot with the M&S affiliate, on both business and community engagement issues. When Anne-Françoise talked to me about the Startupper of the Year by Total contest, I knew right away I wanted to partner with her,” Pierre Jessua, Chief Executive Officer, Total E&P Congo said.