The NewSpace Africa Startup Pitch Competition 2026 is a high-visibility platform for African early-stage upstream NewSpace startups to present market-ready space technologies and scalable business models to key industry stakeholders, including investors, corporate partners, policymakers, and development finance institutions.
The competition is designed to spotlight startups that are already demonstrating traction, have clear technical and commercial relevance, and are positioned to scale across African markets. Selected startups will pitch live during the NewSpace Africa Conference 2026, Africa’s leading space business and policy event, gaining exposure, expert feedback, and access to funding and partnership opportunities.
Held annually at the NewSpace Africa Conference, the Pitch Competition seeks to support innovative space technologies and products built around scalable business models with the potential for national and continent-wide impact. Applications are evaluated by carefully selected industry experts and stakeholders, after which shortlisted teams compete in a live pitch session during the NewSpace Africa Conference 2026 in Libreville, Gabon. Judges provide critical feedback on business models, technical readiness, and investment attractiveness, offering valuable insight into what investors look for when making funding decisions.
Please Note: The competition is open exclusively to African upstream space startups developing core proprietary space infrastructure and technologies, including satellite platforms and payloads, launch and launch-support systems, space hardware and components, ground segment infrastructure, testing and manufacturing capabilities, and other foundational space systems. Downstream service providers and space-enabled application companies are not eligible to participate.
Objectives
- Stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship across Africa’s upstream space industry by identifying and supporting startups developing commercially viable and scalable space technologies, infrastructure, and systems.
- Create a dedicated centre stage within the NewSpace Africa Conference for emerging African upstream space companies, reducing barriers to access by integrating them directly into the core conference programme and ecosystem.
- Provide selected startups with meaningful exposure to policymakers, space agency leaders, industry executives, investors, and institutional customers shaping Africa’s space and satellite markets.
- Enable African upstream startups to test, validate, and refine their business models by engaging directly with potential customers, partners, and financiers operating across African and global space value chains.
- Support the development of foundational space infrastructure and capabilities that underpin Africa’s priority development objectives, including climate resilience, connectivity, infrastructure planning, and digital transformation.
- Strengthen the readiness of African NewSpace companies to serve African demand by improving visibility, market access, and alignment with public-sector procurement, national space programmes, and commercial mission requirements.
- Catalyse investment and partnership opportunities by creating a focused networking environment where startups can connect with capital providers, corporate partners, system integrators, and development finance institutions that support long-term growth and sustainability.
Judging process
The judging panel will comprise industry experts, investors, and ecosystem leaders with experience across Africa’s upstream space and satellite sector. Applications will be evaluated through a preliminary review and a final live pitch round based on the quality and clarity of the pitch deck, the strength and capabilities of the founding team, the technical and commercial viability of the proposed technology or system, and the robustness of the business model.
Judges will assess the addressable market opportunity and relevance to institutional, government, and commercial space customers; competitive positioning within the upstream space value chain; demonstrated traction appropriate to upstream development stages (including pilots, contracts, technical milestones, or strategic partnerships); scalability; and the potential to contribute to Africa’s long-term space infrastructure and industrial capacity.
Following the initial review, five startups will be shortlisted and invited to compete in the final pitch competition during the NewSpace Africa Conference 2026 in Libreville, Gabon. Shortlisted startups will pitch live at the conference. Each finalist will deliver:
- A 5-minute pitch, followed by
- A 5-minute Q&A session with the judges
Benefits and Prizes
Startups shortlisted for the NewSpace Africa Startup Pitch Competition 2026 will receive a comprehensive package of benefits designed to maximise both visibility and commercial opportunity:
- Complimentary registration to the NewSpace Africa Conference 2026 for one member of each selected startup team.
- Opportunity to pitch live during the conference, before an audience of investors, industry leaders, policymakers, and ecosystem partners.
- Access to business coaching, investor feedback, and advisory support from judges and invited mentors.
- Structured networking opportunities with investors, corporate buyers, government agencies, and development partners.
Winning Startup
In addition to the above, the winning startup will receive:
- A free exhibition slot,
- Enhanced media exposure and publicity across Space in Africa’s news channels.
- Media promotion through conference media partners, and
Eligibility
The competition is open to early-stage African NewSpace companies operating exclusively within the upstream space segment, including satellite systems, payloads, launch-related technologies, ground segment infrastructure, and space hardware manufacturing. Eligible innovations may be at the pre-seed, piloting, or early implementation stage, with demonstrated technical progress or market validation within Africa.
- Be a fully incorporated and registered company domiciled in Africa
- Operate as an early-stage NewSpace company in the African upstream space segment, developing proprietary space hardware, systems, or core space infrastructure technologies,
- Leverage space technology as a primary and integral component of the company’s product (please note that this does not include downstream, analytics, application-layer, or service-only solutions),
- Have been in operation for at least one year,
- Be generating revenue or demonstrating verifiable market traction, such as pilot deployments, mission selection, technical validation milestones, or institutional partnerships in at least one African market,
- Have not raised more than USD 1 million cumulatively since inception,
- Present a scalable and sustainable business model aligned with Africa’s long-term space infrastructure and industrial development,
- Have a team of at least two members, each dedicating a minimum of 50% of their time to the company,
- Have a founding or core team composed of at least 50% Africans,
- Submit one business idea or product only,
- Be available to physically attend and pitch at the NewSpace Africa Conference 2026 in Libreville, Gabon
- Conduct the pitch in any official African Union language.
Timeline
- Applications open: 6th January 2026
- Application deadline: 15th February 2026
- Extended deadline: 28th February 2026
- Pitch Deck Review: 6th March 2026
- Finalists Announcement: 13th March 2026
- Live Pitch Competition: 21st April 2026
- Winner Announcement: 22nd April 2026
- Private sessions with Judges: 22nd April 2026
How to apply
Interested startups must submit a pitch deck (5–10 slides in total) via the official pitch deck application portal here. Alternatively, they can visit the NewSpace Africa Conference 2026 website here, navigate to the NewSpace Africa Pitch Competition page, click on APPLY, and begin their application. Only applications submitted through the portal will be considered; email submissions will not be accepted.
By submitting an application, applicants agree that their pitch materials may be shared with the organising team, judges, and potential investors strictly for evaluation and engagement purposes related to the competition.
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