2020 TOP TEN D.C. Is Here!

Meet the Finalists

Ayoo Africa’s Top Ten D.C. is a celebration of African innovators, designers, artists, entertainments, professionals and organizations, across 9 categories. Ayoo Africa does not claim to have exclusiveness on who is the most innovative, but over the last 6 months of research, it sought to find out who has been making a remarkable impact in D.C. Metropolitan region for the last 12 months.

Your favourite DJ is innovative. The restaurant where you order suya or nyama choma is innovative. The designer who makes your fashion statement outfit is innovative.

The 9 categories are:

1. Community, Public Policy & Governance
2. Nightlife & Events
3. Technology & Innovation
4. Music & Entertainment
5. Culinary
6. Curators
7. Media / Film
8. Art
9. Design

Winners Announcement:  Winners will be announced on Friday, June 19th, online. Register for your virtual front row seat to attend the Livestream announcement, get your tickets now.

Sponsorship: Looking to connect your brand with Ayoo Africa,  Click here to learn more about available sponsorship and partnership opportunities.

GENERAL CRITERIA

Heritage: African Immigrant, First or second-generation African

All African-owned, organizations or entities in existence or created within the last two years were analyzed. The analysis took into account the heritage of the nominees as we sought to highlight only first-generation Africans or descendants thereof (second-generation Africans). Once the nominee passed the selection by heritage step, the nominee was measured across three further criteria: Located or Working in the DC Metro area; Influence and Community Involvement; and Performance Success.

Geographical Area: Located or Working in the D.C. metro

Our location metric simply validated that the nominee is located, worked or conducted business activity in the D.C. metro area in 2019.

Impact: Influence and Community Involvement

By far the most weighted, this criterion measured the significant value that nominees placed on their work related to the community. The influence of the nominee’s business or creative activity on the African community was of serious consideration as such, the Selection Board placed a high value on involvement in major community undertakings. This was done by looking at how frequently the nominee is mentioned by others in their industry, various community organizations in their publications, or during preliminary interviews, researching the nominee’s impact in the communities they serve.

Success Metrics: Performance

In our analysis, performance and success was measured by assessing the quality of originality and unique value of the nominee’s performance in the industry. Were they successful in their projects and are they a continuous point of reference for their peers and other partners not taking into account self-credit?

NOMINATION CRITERIA

Community, Public Policy & Governance: 

1. Must have been active since January 1st, 2019 
2. Nominees must have created, managed or invested in a community program 
3. Community program must have a positive social impact
4. Nominee must have resided or worked in DC Metro area in the last 2 years
5. Should be available and prepared to participate in the Nominees’ Digital Meetup

Nightlife & Events Category

1. Must have been active since January 1st,  2019
2. Name recognition in the nightlife and events community
3. Should be profitable and a registered entity
4. Entrepreneurship and social impact is a plus
5. Should be available and prepared to participate in the Nominees’ Digital Meetup

Technology and Innovation

1. Must have been active since January 1st, 2019
2. Must work or be based in the DMV 
3. The originality of innovation and performance
4. Entrepreneurship and social impact is a plus
5. Should be available and prepared to participate in the Nominees’ Digital Meetup

Music & Entertainment

1. Must have been active from January 1st, 2019
2. Must work or be based in the DMV
3. Must have gained great activity, overall recognition and awareness by peers
4. Creativity and visibility as well as social impact
5. Should be available and prepared to participate in the Nominees’ Digital Meetup

Culinary and Hospitality

1. Must have been active since January 1st, 2019
2. Must have resided or worked in the DMV
3. Appeal and dedication to the originality of concept and food products, catering and design offerings
4. Recognition by peers and community members
5. Should be available and prepared to participate in the Nominees’ Digital Meetup

Curators

1. Must have been active from January 1st, 2019
2. Must have resided or worked in the DMV
3. Should have a proven track record in curating the arts
4. Entrepreneurship and social impact is a plus
5. Should be available and prepared to participate in the Nominees’ Digital Meet-Up

Media & Film

1. Must have been active from January 1st, 2019
2. Must have resided or worked in the DMV
3. Should have a proven creative record in media and film
4. Entrepreneurship and social impact is a plus
5. Should be available and prepared to participate in the Nominees’ Digital Meetup

Art

1. Must have been active from January 1st, 2019
2. Must have resided or worked in the DMV
3. Should have a proven creative technique and originality
4. Entrepreneurship and social impact is a plus
5. Should be available and prepared to participate in the Nominees’ Digital Meetup

Design

1. Must have been active from January 1st, 2019
2. Must have resided or worked in the DMV
3. Should have a proven creative technique and originality
4. Entrepreneurship and social impact is a plus
5. Should be available and prepared to participate in the Nominees’ Digital Meetup

Process

In January 2020, we opened a call for entries. Committees met after deadlines closed to review of the entries, confirm eligibility, and in some cases, make the first cut. 9 Judges chosen by the committee will then review and vote on the nominees to determine the finalists, and winners. 

Each award winner will receive a certificate. Nominees receive a complimentary professional membership for 6 months to the Ayoo Africa Innovation Network. 

We will also recognize 4 Lifetime Award Honorees.

Applications and nominations are closed! For any questions contact its editor, Nico Kang at [email protected]

For partnership and sponsorship questions, Click here to learn more about available opportunities.