From November 16-18th, CCI will host the first Africa’s New Cities Summit. This Summit will include what is normally expected in a typical conference (keynote speakers, panels, networking opportunities, etc.) and much more. For example, to turn talk into action, CCI and AfIDA are hosting a pitch competition where a select group of new city projects will pitch to a panel of investment institutions. This pitch competition is called the New Cities Catapult, and the winner will receive in-kind consulting services from CCI and AfIDA for their project. While investment cannot be guaranteed, all of the invited developers will have the possibility to participate in regular engagement with investors, peer-to-peer learning, and training, and will be able to draw on support for engaging with Governments and relevant public sector entities.

The New Cities Catapult event during the Summit will ultimately include between five and eight new city projects. However, these projects will be selected from a larger pool of projects, those with the best materials and business models will be selected by CCI and AfIDA to be placed into the New Cities Catapult. Overall, we are looking for a broad range of new city projects to be represented, this includes diversity in terms of economic anchor, home country, and project stage. This means that a new city project in Botswana focused on cattle ranching and processing that is trying to secure initial funding for a pre-feasibility study is as welcome to submit an application as is a new city project that is located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that is focused on critical mineral processing and is searching for funding in the form of a large debt instrument for phase two construction.

Application for the larger pool is simple. Just email Carl Peterson at carl@cci.city with the subject line “Catapult Submission” along with any current marketing or pitch materials that you have for your project that you believe are relevant, especially any existing pitch decks that you may currently have. We may arrange a follow-up call with you to discuss your submission further. Additionally, we will keep any information that you provide to us confidential. Though, should your project be selected to pitch in Kigali, your final pitch material must be able to be published online, as the session will be recorded and posted to the internet. In terms of selection for the Catapult, CCI, and AfIDA will look through your submissions and inform you no later than the second week of October whether or not your project has been selected for the New Cities Catapult pitch competition in Kigali.

If your project is selected for the New Cities Catapult, then CCI will work with you to review and refine your pitch deck and critique your pitch. Exact details for the length and suggested content for your pitch will be provided to you in the event your project is selected for the presentation at the Summit.

We look forward to your submission!