Criteria for participation

You can participate in the Business Plan Competition if:

• You are a national of the United Republic of Tanzania and you live/work on the mainland, Zanzibar or Pemba.
• You apply as an individual.
• You are 18 years or older.
• Your business concept or idea is potentially viable and legal and concerns the expansion of an existing business or the start-up of a new business based in Tanzania.
• You have a registered for-profit business or you plan to register a for-profit business.
• You have a privately-owned business. If your business is a joint venture, it has majority ownership by Tanzanians.
• Your business idea is in one of the following sectors: agriculture and processing, manufacturing, tourism or services (see examples below).
• Winners of BDG Business Diagnostic Program (BDP) are encouraged to apply on condition that they pursue the same business that was supported with BDG grants in previous cycles.
• Willingness to sign Participation and Anti-Corruption Letter of Agreement.

You cannot participate in the Business Plan Competition if:

• You are a judge, trainer, consultant or employee of the Business Development Gateway or one of the partner organisations.
• You won prizes in the past Business Plan Competitions in Tanzania and their spouses or close relatives (including BPC Cycles 1, 2 and 3, 2007 Bid Challenge BPC, 2007 & 2008 UDEC, TechnoServe and any other grant offering competitions) are NOT eligible to participate.
• You want to take part as a company or other entity (only individuals can participate).
• Your business is partially or fully owned or has entities that are controlled or operated by the Government of Tanzania.
• You have a non-profit business.
• Your business or business idea is in a non-growth sector, including trade, subsistence farming, animal husbandry, trade in non-processed farm products, tourism brokerage, guesthouse management, or services with no value addition like counselling, marketing and consultancy.
• Under no circumstances is a participant allowed to participate in both BPC and BDP during the same BDG Cycle.
• Your business is in the production of weapons, alcoholic beverages, tobacco or gambling.

Examples

Examples of business areas for manufacturing:

• brick making
• leather products
• chalk making
• carvings
• pottery
• textiles
• weaving
• tie & dye
• furniture
• mechanical parts
• soaps and detergents making
• metal work production
• and many more…

Examples of business areas for agriculture and processing:

• honey processing
• fruits and fruit juices
• fish and sea foods processing
• animal products processing
• wines
• nuts processing
• dairy products
• and many more…

Examples of business areas for tourism:

• aquatic tourism
• innovative concepts targeting domestic and foreign tourism
• processing products targeting tourism industry
• and many more…

Examples of business areas for services:

• education
• health
• veterinary services
• provision of innovative Information Communication Technology (ICT) services
• and many more…