Apply for Viva Tech 2019 AI Challenge for African Agro-Startups

Viva Tech, a global event for innovation, startups and digital transformation, has thrown a challenge in front of African startups. And the challenge? Who can develop efficient AI-based technologies to tackle problems in the agriculture industry.

Why AI?

Artificial intelligence has been a key player in tech innovations over the last decade or so. Combined with big data analytics, artificial intelligence helps businesses boost their productivity. And on top of this, it helps them identify problem areas and, invariably, makes them more efficient.

How can #AI help generate a self-sustaining growth in the AgriTech industry? Enter the Viva Technology Challenge 2019 and share your idea | https://t.co/2dhNtupkEo @vivatech @AfricArena2018

— opportunitydesk.org (@OpportunityDesk) August 22, 2018

Buoyed by these, AI has a lot of benefits for many other industries. And the agriculture industry is in serious need of innovative technologies. The industry faces challenges such as climate impact on local agriculture areas, optimization of limited resources, and problems accessing finance.

However, with AI, these challenges can be minimized and possibly defeated.

“AI in agriculture represents a collection of multiple technologies able to help prediction and monitoring functions”, says Viva Tech. “Combined with existing systems and human resources, these technologies can help answer those key challenges.”

Objectives

The objectives of the Viva Tech Challenge are simple. Develop AI-based technologies that:

• Use data and predictive algorithm to help predict and monitor climatic impacts and/or assets.
• Integrate with existing systems and infrastructures, including in areas with limited connectivity.
• Are cost effective to build (not needing a huge amount of money) and integrate with existing systems and infrastructures.
• Take into account the collaboration between employees and AI, especially regarding the skills needed to use/assess/develop the technology.
• Support the financement of local initiatives.
• Generate a self-running growth engine for AgriTech in Africa.

Now, the AI technology should have a reasonable use case and be applicable for domains such as connected machines, IoT monitoring, big data, remote sensors, image recognition, soil & assets analysis, weather forecast, as well as micro-finance solutions.

Eligibility

• The challenge is open to early-stage start-ups that have been in existence for less than 5 years.
• Only start-ups operating in Africa will be considered.

How to Submit AI Solution

Startups registering for the challenge have to follow this procedure when sending in their submissions.

• Send a short video with two topics. First is Startup Presentation, and the second is How Do You Solve The Problem? They must be in mpg, mpeg, mp4, or mov file format. Max file size is 10MB – You can also share a “Wetransfer” link or a Youtube video instead.
• Deck pitch: 8 slides max (ppt, pdf) – Max file size, 10MB.

Prizes

First prize One exhibition stand for your startup at Vivatech 2019, in Paris

Second prize: Pitching slot for your startup at Vivatech 2019, in Paris

Third prize: Two Vivatech 2019 tickets for your team

Deadline for submissions is September 1, 2018. Follow here to apply