Press Release - 100 African “Startuppers” to be recognized and rewarded
“Ideas require energy to thrive!”
100 African “Startuppers” to be recognized and rewarded in fourth “Startupper of the Year by Totalenergies” Challenge
for TotalEnergies’ 100th anniversary
Lagos, May 09, 2024 – Following the success of the first three editions, TotalEnergies is now holding another Startupper of the Year Challenge, in 32 African countries. For this special edition, organized against the backdrop of the Company’s centennial year, 100 entrepreneurs from across the continent will be recognized and rewarded via three prize categories.
During the 2021/2022 Startupper of the Year Challenge in Nigeria, TotalEnergies recognized three young entrepreneurs: Nonso OPURUM: Best Startup under 3 Years - Soso Care;
Michael OSUMUNE: Best Business Creation Project - Smart Inverter System; and Rebecca ADEOSUN: Best Female Entrepreneur - Organic Cycle (O’Cycle).
This new edition kicking off today reaffirms TotalEnergies’ commitment to promoting innovation and entrepreneurship and supporting the socio-economic development of African countries in which the Company is present. The Challenge strengthens the social fabric in local communities by helping the continent’s most innovative entrepreneurs carry out their projects. In all, 365 winners – selected from among some 40,000 applications received – have been rewarded and supported worldwide since 2015.
For this 2024/2025 edition of the Challenge, TotalEnergies will support, and reward young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35 living in Nigeria who have a business creation project or a startup under three years old, in any business sector. A local jury comprised of experts, business leaders, startup ecosystem participants, local sustainability stakeholders and representatives from TotalEnergies Nigeria will select three winners.
- Innov’Up winner, for the best entrepreneur.
- Cycle’Up winner, for the best project relating to the circular economy.
- Power’Up winner, for the best project relating to sustainable, affordable energy.
Four additional projects in the Power’Up category will be selected by an international jury.
All project entries will be assessed against four criteria:
- Relevance to sustainable development challenges
- Innovation
- Feasibility and development potential
- Respect for gender equality and inclusion of women in the project
Each winner will become a “Startupper of the Year by TotalEnergies” and will benefit from a monetary award of N8,000,000.00 (Eight Million Naira), personalized support and a communication campaign to enhance their project’s visibility. Winners will also have the opportunity to promote their projects during a celebratory event, the details of which will be released at a later date.
Registration opens on 13th May, 2024 directly online at http://startupper.totalenergies.com. Applicants will then have until 18th June, 2024 to complete their applications.
Startupper of the Year by TotalEnergies Challenge – Recap of Previous Editions
1st edition in 2016
- 34 participating countries across Africa.
- 24,000 applicants registered and 11,000 completed applications received.
- 102 winners, of which 52 in the “Ideas” category and 50 in the “Business Created” category.
- Four Pan-African Grand Prize winners invited to Paris for a week to receive personalized support for their project.
2nd edition in 2019
- 55 participating countries worldwide.
- 50,000 applicants registered and 15,400 completed applications received, of which 65% from African countries.
- 165 winners.
- Six Grand Prize winners selected, including three from Africa.
- Six Grand Prize winners invited to Paris mid-March 2019 for a week of personalized support.
- Selection in each participating country of a Top Female Entrepreneur to promote and support women entrepreneurs, with the 55 winners invited to Paris for a week in April 2019.
3rd edition in 2022
- 33 participating countries across Africa.
- 34,000 applicants registered and 13,800 completed applications received.
- 98 winners, including:
- 32 winners in the “Best business creation project” category
- 33 winners in the “Best startup under 3 years old” category
- 32 winners in the “Best female entrepreneur” category
- And 1 applicant who won 2 prizes!
- 4 Grand Prize winners invited to Paris for a week in June 2022.
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About TotalEnergies in Nigeria
TotalEnergies has been present in Nigeria for more than 60 years and employs today more than 1,800 people across different business segments. Nigeria is one of the main contributing countries to TotalEnergies’ hydrocarbon production where the Company produced 204 000 boe/d in 2022. TotalEnergies also operates an extensive distribution network which includes about 540 service stations in the country. In all its operations, TotalEnergies is particularly attentive to the socio-economic development of the country and is committed to working with local communities.
About the Marketing & Services division of TotalEnergies
TotalEnergies’ Marketing & Services business segment offers its professional and private customers a wide range of broad energy products and services—petroleum products, biofuels, charging and related services for electric vehicles, gas for road and maritime transportation—to support them in their mobility and help them reduce their carbon footprint. Every day, over 8 million customers visit our 15,000 service-stations all over the world. As the world’s number four in lubricants, we design and sell high-performance products for the automotive, industrial and maritime sectors. And to provide the best response to the needs of our B2B customers, we deploy our sales forces, our international logistics network and our diverse offering. We operate in more than 100 countries, where our nearly 30,000 employees stand close to all of our customers.
About TotalEnergies
TotalEnergies is a global multi-energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our 105,000 employees are committed to energy that is ever more affordable, cleaner, more reliable and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, TotalEnergies puts sustainable development in all its dimensions at the heart of its projects and operations to contribute to the well-being of people.
@TotalEnergiesNG
@TotalEnergiesNigeria
@TotalEnergies_ng
Charles Ebereonwu PhD, Country Communications Manager
Mobile : +2347034130525
E-mail : [email protected]
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