NITDA opens pitch for startups ahead of GITEX |

The National Information Development Agency (NITDA) has opened a portal for applying for the sponsorship of Nigerian startups to the forthcoming 41st edition of the Gulf Information Exhibition (GITEX). The exhibition is taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) Dubai, United Arabs Emirates, from October 17 to 21, 2021 with the theme: ‘Creating a Bolder Digital Future Together’.
   
GITEX is the biggest tech event in Asia, Middle East and Africa and it also boasts over 4,500 exhibitors, over 400 active investors and 150,000 trade visitors from 140 countries that participate at the five-day global tech expo and conference.
    
The GITEX Week 2021 promises to be a major meeting point for technology professionals and enthusiasts. GITEX is a major thrust for the Global Startup Movement attracting some of the world’s biggest technology mentors, angel investors and venture capitalists.

Nigeria has featured a strong delegation and country pavilion presence through NITDA since 2013 to explore cross-nations deals and collaborations.
    
In the last six years, NITDA has provided strong support for Nigerian startups by featuring over 50 startups at GITEX Future Stars Pavilion. This year, NITDA is set to do the same through its subsidiary, National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR).
   
This year, besides the GITEX Future Stars, the event is super exciting with the introduction of programmes such as Fintech Surge, Future Blockchain Summit, AI Everything, Marketing Mania, among others.

   
The NITDA 2021 GITEX application portal is now open, and the agency is calling for applications from innovative technology-driven startups with solutions addressing any of these specified problems’ areas: Fifth-generation wireless technology (5G); Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Augmented Analytics; Transportation; Digital Economies; Cyber Security and Resilience; Cloud and Edge computing, and Blockchain technology.

NITDA said applications will be considered and scored by a panel of judges from within the Nigerian technology startup ecosystem based on the solutions that address any of the aforementioned that meet global standards.
   
Interested applicants are invited to visit: https://bit.ly/nitda-gitex2021 to apply. The application process closes by midnight on July 16, 2021. Thereafter, all entries will be evaluated, and successful startups will be selected and contacted.