Are you a social entrepreneur interested in gender equity? Apply for the Acumen Gender Equity and Advancement Accelerator Program by 4 April 2023
Are you a social entrepreneur interested in gender equity? Apply for the Acumen Gender Equity and Advancement Accelerator Program by 4 April 2023
Acumen Academy, a global institute for social change, invites social enterprises to apply for the Gender Equity and Advancement Accelerator Program. The program seeks to support social entrepreneurs with moral leadership lessons and business skills. Selected participants will also learn from portfolio companies to confidently scale their enterprises and embed gender-inclusive approaches in their business models.
The program is available to social entrepreneurs who:
- Run a social enterprise (nonprofit or for-profit) based in either East Africa or West Africa
- Have a demonstrated track record of at least 12 months with some market traction and readiness to scale
- Have a minimum of three team members who are full-time staff
- Commit to serving women across three entry points and demonstrate evidence of action in at least one, including:
- Market (products and services)
- Internal organisation (workforce and policies)
- Value chain (supply and distribution)
During the program, participants will have access to the following:
- Six learning labs alongside fellow entrepreneurs
- Three one-on-one consultation calls with Acumen’s team
- Video tutorials on customer discovery, sales and marketing, financial modelling, pitching, and more
- Unconscious bias training, workshops, and self-assessment strategies for embedding gender inclusivity into your scaling plan
- Case studies from social enterprises that have successfully scaled and contributed to gender equity and advancement
Eligible entrepreneurs can apply here.
For details about the program, visit Gender Equity and Advancement Accelerator.
Apply for Google for Startups Black Founders Fund Africa before 26 March 2023
Apply for Google for Startups Black Founders Fund Africa before 26 March 2023
Google for Startups invites applicants for the Black Founders Fund Africa, a program that aims to support early-stage black-founded startups that benefit the black community on the African continent. The program seeks explicitly to bridge the existing fundraising gap for black startup founders in Africa’s fast-growing technology landscape. Google for Startups has set aside up to USD 150,000 in equity-free cash, up to USD 200,000 in Google cloud credits, and access to the best of Google – people, products, and practices. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to receive mentorship support to accelerate business growth and to connect with Google for Startups Accelerator & Partner program alumni.
The Black Founders Fund Africa is intended for startups in Africa seeking seed-stage funding that meet the following criteria:
- Have an existing product or service for Africa and the global market
- Demonstrate the ability to create jobs, raise more funding, and make an impact
- The founding team should at least have one black C-level founding member (COO, CEO, or CFO)
- The company should be operating as a technology startup or a business where technology is a core for the ability to scale
- Proposed startup products/services should be compatible with Google products
To apply for this program, visit: Applications
Are you an early-stage social entrepreneur interested in funding? Apply for the Roddenberry Foundation Catalyst Fund 2023
Are you an early-stage social entrepreneur interested in funding? Apply for the Roddenberry Foundation Catalyst Fund 2023
The Roddenberry Foundation invites innovators with early-stage ideas or projects addressing pressing global challenges to apply for the Foundation’s Catalyst Fund. The Fund will provide grants between USD 2500 and USD 15000 to projects or ideas demonstrating a high potential for lasting impact. Ideas or projects will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- Innovative: Approaches or strategies that innovate on existing models — What are you building on? What other solutions already exist?
- Community-based: You deeply understand the communities you work on behalf of and have a good understanding of their needs. How are they engaged in the process? How will they be able to maintain the solution over time?
- High potential for impact: Does your solution address a recognized issue that affects a significant percentage of people?
- Sustainable: Experienced team and an intelligent strategy for driving change — Who and what is driving the change? Why is this the right team? What makes this the right strategic bet right now?
Candidates for the Fund can be individuals, non-profit organizations, or social entrepreneurs. Interested participants must fulfill the following criteria:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Submit the application in English
- Include completed responses to all required application questions
- Agree to all legal terms and conditions of the Catalyst Fund grant program
- Be able to receive grant funding legally
To apply for the Fund, visit: Application for Catalyst Fund
Are you an early-stage startup seeking to build a successful impact-driven business? Apply for the 2023 Savvy Global Fellowship!
Are you an early-stage startup seeking to build a successful impact-driven business? Apply for the 2023 Savvy Global Fellowship!
Savvy Global Fellowship, a virtual fellowship program, seeks to support early-stage startup entrepreneurs to build impact-driven business solutions. Savvy Global Fellowship is a 12-week program that has trained over 8,350 early-stage startups from 159 countries across the globe. Through the program, fellows benefit from business training on topics like fundraising, team building to execute business strategies, creating publicity for products or services, scaling into a new market, and ensuring customer retention and loyalty.
Applications are open to early-stage entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 40 years. Interested applicants should demonstrate a willingness to learn and create sustainable change in society and the world. Selected applicants will go through the following during the program:
- E-learning: Fellows will learn all aspects of business, ranging from ideation to scale
- Assessment: Fellows will take a combination of multiple-choice quizzes to identify their strengths and weaknesses
- Peer mentorship: Fellows will be paired with experienced peers to facilitate guidance and knowledge transfer
- Expert mentorship: Fellows will benefit from expert mentorship from over 100 renowned experts across different industries
- Certificate of completion: After 12 weeks, fellows will receive a certificate of completion and have access to the Savvy platform for information on impact entrepreneurship, personal branding, capacity building, and professional opportunities
To apply for the Savvy Fellowship Program, visit: Applications
Are you a tech startup in need of free legal advisory services? Apply for the Startup Bluebook Program before 21 February 2023
Are you a tech startup in need of free legal advisory services? Apply for the Startup Bluebook Program before 21 February 2023
Certa Foundation, a Rwandan-based non-governmental organisation, invites Rwandan tech startups to apply for the Startup Bluebook Program. The two-year residency program is designed to offer successful applicants the following legal services:
- Access to in-house legal services such as legal drafting of policies and contracts, legal advisory work
- Compliance and legal risk mitigation strategy
- Mediation and negotiation training for startup founders and managers
- Access to notary services
- Access to pro bono litigation services where necessary
After the two years of residency, selected startups will provide one (1) lawyer of their choice to undergo training designed for in-house counsels at Certa Foundation.
Interested applicants must fulfil the following to apply:
- Be in business no more than two years at the time of application
- Be registered and operating in Rwanda at the time of application
- Have an aspect of social entrepreneurship
- Have a tax clearance certificate and no pending labour and administrative disputes by the time of application
- Be willing to integrate Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility within the first five (5) years upon establishment
To apply, visit: Application form
Are you a woman founder with a tech startup in need of mentorship? Apply for Google for Startups virtual accelerator program before 20 February 2023
Are you a woman founder with a tech startup in need of mentorship? Apply for Google for Startups virtual accelerator program before 20 February 2023
Google for Startups invites women-led startups for a three months virtual accelerator program. The program is designed to link startups in Africa with Google’s top experts, products and technology to help them build Africa-centered solutions with technology. During the program, participants will be given content and mentorship tailored to the unique needs of women-led startups and opportunities to network with Google’s global women founders’ community.
Interested participants should be running a startup up to the Series A stage (the second stage of startup financing and the first stage of venture capital financing). The program is sector-agnostic and welcomes startups leveraging machine learning (or plan to in future) from any vertical.
Successful participants will receive the following benefits:
- Access to Google engineers, resources, and mentors during and after the program
- Hands-on Google for Startups collaboration and support
- Inclusion in the Google for Startups Accelerator Global Community and network of alums and mentors
- Google Cloud Credits
- Marketing spotlight opportunities
To apply, visit: Application form
Are you a FoodTech or AgTech company in need of funding? Apply for the Cohort 4 of the Growth Impact Accelerator program before 24 February 2023
Are you a FoodTech or AgTech company in need of funding? Apply for the Cohort 4 of the Growth Impact Accelerator program before 24 February 2023
GROW, a global agriculture and food technology accelerator, invite applicants for the 4th cohort of the Growth Impact Accelerator Program, backed by AgFunder. The program seeks to support foodtech and agtech startups tackling the global challenge of sustainability. Through the program, successful applicants will receive USD 100,000 in investment funding from AgFunder. Participants will receive additional benefits including:
- Access to growth partners for product testing, development, and scaling
- Matching with global agrifood multinational corporations to support customer validation and feedback, deploying pilot projects, and securing new sales contracts
- Access to AgFunder’s private and institutional investment global networks to support fundraising
- Access to an experienced team of coaches and mentors
- Access to physical workspace in Singapore (or virtual office address, if overseas) throughout the program duration
- Access to media exposure and publicity through AgFunder’s news platform, events, and a demo day at the conclusion of the program
- Support with Singapore EntrePass visa application through GROW’s partnership with Enterprise Singapore
Interested applicants should have solutions in the following areas:
- Advancing smallholder farmers
- Supply chain rationalization
- Alt-proteins and novel foods and ingredients
- Climate-smart agriculture and aquaculture
- Personalized nutrition & health
- Food waste valorization
- Circular economy
To apply for the program, visit: Application form
Are you an early-stage startup with a tech solution for the world’s most significant challenges? Apply for the Norrsken Accelerator – 2023 cohort.
Are you an early-stage startup with a tech solution for the world’s most significant challenges? Apply for the Norrsken Accelerator – 2023 cohort.
Norrsken Foundation, a non-profit foundation based in Switzerland, seeks applicants for its Accelerator programme. The 2023 edition of the Accelerator programme is designed to identify the world’s most promising impact startups and support them to scale. The programme targets early-stage startups globally that leverage technology to create and scale innovative solutions to new and old societal and environmental challenges.
The program includes an eight-week growth sprint and Norrsken House in Stockholm and a mentorship roster of 50 entrepreneurs, investors and unicorn founders. Applicants will have an opportunity to pitch their ideas to over 300 top international investors. Successful applicants will receive a USD 125,000 upfront or pre-seed investment from the Norrsken Foundation.
To apply, visit: Norrsken Accelerator Application
Westerwelle Start-Up Haus seeks applicants for its Young Founders Program – Apply before 15 February 2023
Westerwelle Start-Up Haus seeks applicants for its Young Founders Program – Apply before 15 February 2023
The Westerwelle Start-up Haus invites young entrepreneurs to participate in their Westerwelle Young Founders Program (YFP). The six-month program aims to support young entrepreneurs with targeted support to scale their ventures and develop leadership abilities in contributing toward building a sustainable future.
During the program, successful applicants will participate in the following activities:
- Kick-Off Conference: A two-day virtual kick-off conference will take place on March 3 and 6, 2023
- Remote Program:From March to August 2023, participants will receive six months of support, including a personal mentor, monthly peer mentoring sessions, monthly expert workshops, and networking opportunities with corporate representatives and investors
- Berlin Conference:Ten best-performing participants will be invited to a five-day conference in May 2024, where they will have the opportunity to pitch to investors, participate in workshops, join networking events, and participate in the German start-up scene
Interested applicants should demonstrate high potential for impact and growth while fulfilling the criteria below:
- Recently (in the last five years) started a for-profit company focused on developing or emerging markets;
- Have a company that possesses a scalable business model that has ideally generated revenue or secured a first round of external funding;
- Have a business that possesses disruptive qualities that can increase the quality, impact, or inclusiveness of the industry;
- Possess a good working knowledge of English;
- Be available to attend the digital kick-off conference and participate in program activities for six months.
To apply, visit: Westerwelle Young Founder Program
Do you want to expand your tech business into global markets? Apply for the Eastern Africa Startup Awards before 31 January 2023
Do you want to expand your tech business into global markets? Apply for the Eastern Africa Startup Awards before 31 January 2023
The Global Startup Awards, an independent startup ecosystem competition, invites applicants for the Eastern Africa Startup Awards competition. The Startup Awards connects East African tech startups across the region to a global network of leading innovators and investors. The competition will award and support entrepreneurs and innovation ecosystem leaders making an impact in the following areas:
- Environmental sustainability
- Inclusive economic growth
- Emerging technologies and innovation
- Cross-border collaboration
Successful applicants in the competition will benefit from the following:
- Access to new markets
- Access to funding opportunities
- Access to a global network of leaders
- Exposure on a global stage
The competition process also brings together local ambassadors, country partners, national and international jury members, and key advisors to identify innovative startups in all aspects of the ecosystem.
To apply for the competition, visit: Applications