b rning heroes
Africa awards
early stage startups
market fit
campus
innovations
fundraising
Product design
Take part in the top 2023 startup event! Get public recognition for your early-stage startup, find investors and advisors.
ABOUT
Burning Heroes is the first startup awards created by founders for founders! Our mission is to help African early-stage startups reveal their potential.
We know how hard it is to start from scratch: idea validation, team building, seeking market fit, go-to-market strategy, wait lists, early adopters’ community... it’s tough. This is why we want to network with the best teams and share our experience.
Apply now to get the chance to be noticed by top advisers and investors and to join our Burning Heroes community!
for whom
Campus-based startups
Are you a group of talented students? Have you researched the market and discovered something new, unusual, and interesting? Do you want to know how to implement a new scientific result for business?
‍Take the next step to make your project come to life with Burning Heroes!
Pre-seed startups with market validation and product prototype
Do you have an idea that you've worked hard on? Do you have confirmation from your early adopters? Have you developed your MVP or prototype?
‍Find your first VC investor and top advisors with Burning Heroes!
Seed startups
Did you raise initial funding and confirm your hypothesis and fell into the trap of a failing market? Are you wondering how to continue handling or growing your business?
‍Open the door to new opportunities with Burning Heroes!
Nominations
Market fit
Criteria:
—Market Size
—Market Validation
—Business Model
Judges:
—Founders
—VCs
—Accelerators
High-Tech/ Innovations
Criteria:
—Originality
—Knowledge Intensity
—Maturity
Judges:
—Founders
—Engineers
—Scientists
Product Design
Criteria:
—Usability
—Consistency
—Aesthetics
Judges:
—Founders
—Designers
—PMs
ROadmap
until  JAN 15, 2023
Apply for the competition as a startup founder.
Include your pitch deck, tell us about your strengths, what problems you’ve solved and what difficulties you were able to overcome.
JAN 20, 2023
We carefully study and evaluate your pitch decks and select the best startups in the nominations. Top 30 startups will get invitations to Online Pitch.
JAN 27—28, 2023
Online Pitch sessions in front of the Burning Heroes jury.
FEB 1, 2023
The announcement of the TOP 3 startups in the following categories: Product Design, High-Tech/ Innovations, and Market Fit.
If you weren’t selected for the top 3, don’t worry. You will still get valuable feedback on how to improve your project and pitch
What  you  get
Top-accelerators' feedback
Free personal advising session with experts from the jury
Warm access to VCs
Media featuring
Personal pricing and promo codes from our partners
Membership in our closed community
Jury
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join the competition
Applications are closed. Stay tuned for updates.
Have questions?
Get in touch!
africa@burningheroes.com
FAQ
Can any startup participate, regardless of the type of activity?
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Yes, any startup can take part in the contest from any field of activity. Whether high-tech innovation, IT, or production, we welcome projects that are ready to present themselves to the world.
Which countries are allowed to participate in the startup contest?
Appplication is open to any early stage start-up operating in an African Country.
Do I have to pay to participate in this contest?
No, participation in our contest is free! We do not take any additional financial contributions from our competitors.
What will the participation in this contest give me?
Each participant in the contest will receive the ability to be seen. Top 30 startups will get valuable feedback from top VCs, Â accelerators, and experts from TOP companies. Winners will get 3 free individual consultations with an expert among the jury members, access to a closed community, personal offers and discounts from our partners, as well as mentions in the media!
If my company is not registered yet, can I still participate?
Yes, any project can participate in the contest. The existence of a company is not a must.
If my pitch deck is raw or under-developed and I know I won't win, should I still participate?
We recommend applying even if you are not confident in your deck. We pay much more attention to your ability to grow based on the market fit, product design, and the technology you are leveraging. If we can see this we will help you to improve your pitch and materials.
Will there be certificates, diplomas, or marks for participants and winners?
In addition to the experience, each participant will receive a unique diploma that states you took part in our startup contest. Winners will also receive an electronic badge that can be put on their website or mobile application as a sign of distinction for successfully passing our difficult but certainly interesting startup contest!