Call for the Acumen and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship East Africa Accelerator

Acumen and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship are inviting social enterprises to apply for the East Africa Accelerator programme. Through a 19-week program, the Accelerator supports entrepreneurs to develop a scalable social enterprise. Participants will learn the essentials of building a business model that can achieve both social impact and profitability. Entrepreneurs will also have access to case studies from Acumen social enterprises and curriculum materials packaged from IKEA’s business knowledge.

Upon completion of individual assignments, entrepreneurs will join bi-weekly interactive Learning Labs to receive feedback from peers. The participants will also receive biweekly individualized mentorship from IKEA coaches. The program will end with a virtual Final Summit for entrepreneurs featuring workshops, networking opportunities, and the chance to pitch their ventures, receive feedback from industry leaders, and be considered for up to $25,000 in seed funding.

 

What will the successful applicants learn?

By participating in program sessions and reviewing practical case studies of other East African social enterprises that have successfully scaled, successful applicants will learn how to:

  • Refine and test hypotheses for developing a scalable business model.
  • Develop a robust social impact and financial strategy.
  • Best form partnerships to achieve scale.
  • Adapt lessons from IKEA case studies and mentorship.
  • Build networks with other social entrepreneurs and supporters in East Africa and beyond

 

Who is eligible to Apply?

The programme is available to social entrepreneurs in East Africa who:

  • Run a social enterprise (nonprofit or for-profit) based in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, or Ethiopia
  • Have proven customer demand and increasing annual revenue.
  • Manage a team equivalent to 3 full-time staff.
  • Are focused on promoting livelihoods, equality and inclusion.

 

Eligible entrepreneurs can apply for free here.

 Application Deadline: 31st March 2021

 For details about the programme, visit https://app.acumenacademy.org/ikea-east-africa-accelerator.