China’s popular video-sharing app, Tiktok on Wednesday, sent out invitations to tech entrepreneurs in African and the Middle East to join them in an elevator pitch event.
Content operations manager of Tiktok Africa, Bonsiwa Sidwaba has asked founders of early start-ups in Africa and the Middle East to submit a ground-breaking one-minute TikTok video spiel, informing and influencing the global panel of expert judges, using the platform’s easy-to-use video editing tools by September 24th, 2020.
Ms. Sidwaba said that the initiative gave participating entrepreneurs the chance to compete for a $10,000 funding investment and a year long mentorship from the Gritti Fund, a startup investment fund organisation.
According to her, Tiktok has the mandate to inspire creativity and happiness to its users all around the world. “Through this event, we aim to support our local community of budding entrepreneurs by providing them with the opportunity to creatively express their ideas with the possibility that those ideas may materialise,” she stated
The event will see a panel of judges from different walks of life and will feature world renowned entrepreneurs and venture capitalists who will be sharing success stories and more.
Besides, three finalists will be granted a skydive experience with the United Arab Emirates’ Dubai, while simultaneously completing their winning elevator pitches.

According to Sidwaba, the grande finale, which is slated for October 17th will be globally streamed to TikTok users, with the tag #PitchUpInTheSky and is expected to be the most live-streamed start-up pitch event in history.