<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Dear Members, <div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Part of the YEP Workplan for 2019 is to build the tech startup industry and ensuring that startups are given the right support to take them to the next level. In that same vein, please find below a call for applications and if you are a tech startup, please apply as there is a lot of opportunity at hand. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Best</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Beran<br class=""><div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><br class=""><div class=""><div class="WordSection1" style="page: WordSection1; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">Dear Gambia<span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span>Tech<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="SpellE">Startups</span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">As announced earlier, YEP is ramping<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="GramE">up its support to Gambia’s tech sector in partnership with ITAG</span>and launching a<span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><b class=""><span style="" class="">tech<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="SpellE">startup</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>support programme</span></b><span style="" class="">.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="">Apply here<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Segoe UI Symbol", sans-serif; background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="">➔<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class=""><a href="https://bit.ly/2RgXEQM" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114); text-decoration: underline;" class="">https://bit.ly/2RgXEQM</a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>–</span><b class=""><u class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and take the time to complete the form properly latest by 24 January. We will review your application on this basis.</span></u></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">The programme will<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="SpellE"><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">onboard</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b class="">25 Gambian tech startups</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to benefit from training and coaching, market linkages and connection<span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class="">s<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span>with investors throughout 2019.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">The startups<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="GramE">will be segmented</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>based on to their level of maturity:<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">1. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><u class="">Growth Phase</u>: post-revenue, targeting new markets, new products<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">2. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><u class="">Entrepreneurship Phase</u>: Minimum Viable Product (MVP) confirmed, customer acquisition and retention ongoing<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">3. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><u class="">Ideation Phase</u>: research and implementation of a market-oriented solution - earliest stage<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">Selected<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="SpellE">startups</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>will benefit from the following services according to their categorization:<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Segoe UI Symbol", sans-serif;" class="">➔</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b class="">Early-stage tech startups</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>will receive a blend of online and onsite training and targeted coaching on different topics related to building and further developing their business<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Segoe UI Symbol", sans-serif;" class="">➔</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""> <span class="GramE"><b class="">More</b></span><b class=""><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>advanced startups</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>will have access to advanced training & coaching on business modelling,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="SpellE">startup</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>governance, company valuation as well as opportunities in the form of local and international startup events and competitions, to develop both their business and connect them with potential investors<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">To know more about the programme and to apply, please click here<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Segoe UI Symbol", sans-serif; background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="">➔<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class=""><a href="https://bit.ly/2RgXEQM" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114); text-decoration: underline;" class="">https://bit.ly/2RgXEQM</a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">Looking forward to working with you !<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">Best regards,<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">Martin<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; 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