Startups in Africa are invited to apply to the 2020 edition of the Justice Accelerator, the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law’s (HiiL) flagship innovation challenge that funds, trains and scales a global cohort of justice startups each year. Since 2011, the accelerator has supported over 110 startups world-wide.

“With our annual Accelerator programme — the Innovation Justice Challenge — we look for innovative entrepreneurs that focus on: preventing or resolving pressing justice problems; being people and user-centred, rather than system-centred; reaching millions of people,” the organisation said in a statement. 

Here Is What You Need To Know

• For this edition, HiiL is on the look out for game-changing justice innovations who need help to grow an impactful business. 
• The accelerator is looking for the most promising innovative enterprises from East Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Ukraine.
• Innovations with a focus on impact that help preventing and resolving justice problems, e.g. by providing access to justice, access to financial services, and preventing digital fraud are encouraged to apply.
• The precise innovations HiiL is looking out for are those already showing measurable impact, have the potential to become financially sustainable, and have the plans and ambition to scale across different markets. 
• These enterprises must also led by a strong team with experienced and inspiring founders. 
• Based in The Hagues, Netherlands, HiiL has previously supported startups in the past including a mobile app that educates people about their employment rights; a website with automated contracts for SME’s; a mobile application to anonymously report crime; and a website that explains how to purchase and transfer land titles. 

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What HiiL’s Justice Accelerator Programme Offers Startups

HiiL’s Justice Accelerator offers startups a four month programme that:

• Provides 10,000 EUR non-equity funding; 
• Business development support (which includes training, coaching and mentorship);
•  Access to a global network, international exposure, and connections for further investment opportunities. 
• When needed, HiiL has other products and services that provide support to the startups, e.g. Justice Research and Development and its Justice Needs and Satisfaction Surveys. 

Currently, HiiL’s Justice Accelerator looks like the only accelerator that focuses on preventing and resolving justice problems.

How Related Startups May Go About Applying 

• Between 10 June and 5 August, justice entrepreneurs can apply for the Challenge via www.hiil.org/innovating-justice-challenge. 
• HiiL looks for startups that can grow and scale to impact thousands and potentially millions of people. 

“HiiL has supported more than 110 justice innovations worldwide since 2011. Some of those have become big, impacting the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and scaling to a regional level with the potential to become global players. HiiL user-friendly justice HiiL (The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law) is a social enterprise devoted to user- friendly justice. That means justice that is easy to access, easy to understand, affordable, and effective. We will ensure that by 2030, 150 million people will be able to prevent or resolve their most pressing justice problems. We do this by stimulating innovation and scaling what works best,” the organisation further noted in the statement. 

• To submit an application, entrepreneurs should visit www.hiil.org/innovating-justice-challenge. 
• The HiiL 2020 Challenge ‘s Call for Applications closes at 23:59 CET on 5 August 2020.

What HiiL Looks Out For When Selecting Startups

HiiL looks for innovations that:

• Focus on resolving or preventing a justice problem have the potential to grow and scale nationwide or internationally are already showing demonstrated impact;
• Have the potential to become financially sustainable or already have a solid business model in place; and
• Are led by a committed CEO and a dedicated team. 

Charles Rapulu Udoh

Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer who has advised startups across Africa on issues such as startup funding (Venture Capital, Debt financing, private equity, angel investing etc), taxation, strategies, etc. He also has special focus on the protection of business or brands’ intellectual property rights ( such as trademark, patent or design) across Africa and other foreign jurisdictions.
He is well versed on issues of ESG (sustainability), media and entertainment law, corporate finance and governance.
He is also an award-winning writer.