Start-up pitch competition rules

1. Purpose and Scope 

• The Festival of Cooling Start-up Pitch Competition is organised to showcase scalable innovations that strengthen clean cooling and cold-chain. 
• By entering this competition, participants agree to comply with these Terms & Conditions. 
• By applying, participants acknowledge that the event will be recorded and photographed, and consent to the reasonable use of their name, logo, image, and non-confidential content in festival communications. 

2. Eligibility 

• The focus of the pitch should be a cooling/cold-chain product, service, or business model applicable to low and middle-income markets in the Global South. 
• Entries should be from start-up businesses that are 5 years old or less. 
• Entries should be at prototype to early revenue stage (TRL 3 – 6). Idea-stage entries are not eligible. 
• Both entries that have and have not received prior funding are allowed. However, participants are required to disclose all grants, equity, debt, and investment received to date (type, source, date, amount). 
• The solutions being pitched should be tailored for an African market and with potential to scale to other African markets. 
• Applicants may be based anywhere globally. Individuals must be 18+ and authorised to apply on behalf of the start-up. 
• All participants are welcome, but women and youths are strongly encouraged to apply.  

3. Application Package (submit by 1st October 2025, 23:59 (CAT)) 

• Phase 1 submission will be done via the online form. 
• Disclose any conflicts of interest with ACES and its partners. 
• Applicants that meet the criteria will be longlisted from the Phase 1 submissions and invited to the Festival of Cooling Innovations Day (see selection and finalists section for more details). 
• Shortlisted applicants will then be tasked to submit a full application (Phase 2 application) using the template that will be shared. (Incomplete or late Phase 2 applications may be rejected.) 

4. Selection and Finalists 

• The screening panel will review Phase 1 submissions against the published criteria (including eligibility and indicative TRL) and compile a longlist. 
• Longlisted innovators will be invited to the Innovation Day on 9th October 2025 at the ACES campus in Rubirizi to meet experts across technology, supply chain & scaling, market development, business models & plans and financing. 
• Following the Innovation Day, longlisted teams may submit a full application by 14th November 2025. The Organiser reserves the right to withdraw any team that does not attend Innovation Day or that, in interview/verification, does not meet the criteria (including technology readiness). 
• A shortlist of finalists will be selected by the end of November 2025 and invited to attend a presentation session (early January; date to be confirmed), where the winners will be selected. 
• Waitlist may be maintained; individual feedback may not be provided due to capacity constraints. 

5. Innovation Day Activities 

• One-to-one/clinic meetings with expert panel(s) will be scheduled throughout the day; teams may tick preferred areas (technology, supply chain & scaling, market, business model/unit economics, business planning, financing) and may be offered additional slots.
• Short, structured interviews may be conducted to verify eligibility/TRL and clarify evidence. 

No formal pitch is required on this day, but innovators longlisted may showcase prototypes (subject to safety requirements and rules around managing hazardous materials which will be shared to those invited). Full details and criteria, including safety requirements and rules around managing hazardous materials for the Innovation Day will be shared with the longlisted applicants. 

6. Key Dates 

• Longlist invitations issued: by 2nd October 2025 
• Innovation Day: 9th October 2025, 09:00–17:00 CAT, ACES campus, Rubirizi 
• Phase 2 deadline (full application): 14th November 2025 
• Shortlist announced: by 1st December 2025 
• Presentation session: early January (date TBC) 
• Presentation deck submission deadline (shortlisted teams): 48 hours before the January session, 18:00 CAT 

7. Code of Conduct 

• Treat all participants, judges, and staff with respect. No harassment, plagiarism, or misrepresentation. 
• Only truthful claims are permitted; cite data sources on slides where claims are made.  

8. Intellectual Property & Confidentiality 

• The event is public. Do not disclose trade secrets. Judges/organisers will not sign NDAs.
• Applicants grant CCN/ACES a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use their name, logo etc. solely for the purposes of administering, promoting and reporting on the competition and related ACES activities. 
• Applicants retain all IP they bring; any new IP created during the event remains with the team. 
• Participants are responsible for ensuring their participation does not infringe third-party rights.  

9. Data Protection

• To facilitate the competition, we collect and process the data necessary to run the competition (screening, operations, judging, prizes, post-event follow-ups). 
• Personal data is shared only with judges, event staff, and vetted service providers under confidentiality. We do not sell personal data nor pass it over to 3rd parties. 
• We apply measures to protect personal data and keep it no longer than necessary for competition, prize, and audit purposes; media from the event may be retained for reasonable archival/public-interest uses. We will handle any data breaches and notifications as required by law. 
• You can access, rectify, ask us to delete your data, and object to processing; you may withdraw consent at any time (without affecting prior lawful processing). To exercise these rights, contact us at [email protected]. By applying, you consent to being contacted about your application and related ACES opportunities. 

10. Conflicts of Interest 

• Judges must declare conflicts (investment, advisory roles, close personal ties). Conflicted judges will abstain from scoring that team. 
• Teams must declare conflicts when applying; undisclosed conflicts may lead to disqualification. 
   

11. Accessibility & Inclusion 

• The competition is open to applicants of all genders; discrimination on the basis of gender is not permitted. 
• We strongly encourage applications from marginalised and under-represented groups, including women, persons with disabilities, youth, rural founders, and underserved communities. 
• ACES campus is wheelchair accessible; please request additional accommodations by 2nd October if needed. 
   

12. Disqualification Grounds 

• Late submission or non-attendance. 
• Plagiarism, falsified data, unsafe/demo violations, harassment, or rule breaches. 
• Attempting a hazardous demonstration during the pitch without prior approval of the organisers. 
• Marketing a product that is illegal or non-compliant with safety/environmental regulations in the venue jurisdiction. 
• Failure to meet criteria verified during interviews/verification. 
   

14. Reserved Rights 

• The Organiser may change dates, time, format (in-person/virtual/hybrid), venue, agenda, judges, and the number of finalists, or update these Terms & Conditions; any material changes will be communicated to applicants/finalists as soon as practicable. 
• The Organiser may disqualify entries for ineligibility, rule breaches, unsafe conduct, plagiarism/fraud, or failure to meet deadlines, and may limit or cap entries for operational reasons. 
• For safety, the Organiser may prohibit or halt any demonstration deemed hazardous or non-compliant with venue rules or applicable standards. 
•  In the event of circumstances beyond reasonable control, the organiser may postpone or cancel the competition without liability for participants’ costs (travel, accommodation, etc.). 
• Unless expressly stated otherwise in writing by the Organiser, participants bear all costs of participation, including travel, visas, freight/shipping of equipment or samples, accommodation, and subsistence. 
• Participants are responsible for arranging and maintaining adequate health, travel, and equipment insurance for all team members and assets used in connection with the competition (including the Innovation Day and any presentation sessions). The Organiser accepts no responsibility for loss, damage, illness, or injury to the extent permitted by applicable law. 
•  The Organiser’s decisions on eligibility, interpretation of rules, scoring, and awards are final. 

15) Contact 

• For questions, please email [email protected] with the subject line: Innovation Competition – Start-up Name