Are you an early-stage entrepreneur looking to scale up your business? Apply for the ALX Young Entrepreneurs Programme before 28 February 2022
Are you an early-stage entrepreneur looking to scale up your business? Apply for the ALX Young Entrepreneurs Programme before 28 February 2022
ALX, a career accelerator for young professionals under the African Leadership Group, seeks to support African entrepreneurs to build thriving businesses through the ALX Young Entrepreneurs Programme (YEP). YEP is a four-week programme sponsored by Mastercard Foundation and partners. Successful applicants will benefit from mentorship and skills transfer from expert entrepreneurs. The programme is designed for early-stage entrepreneurs who have demonstrated commitment to building their enterprises but require tools and accountability to scale up and increase their customer base.
Participants will go through key five programme modules, including:
- Launch: Set the goals and learn best practices to launch a successful plan.
- Traction: Experiment with different strategies to attract prospective customers.
- Sales Skills: Get the frameworks and practice to close customers and generate revenue.
- Show & Sell: Wrap up your programme in a demo day-styled event where you can present your progress.
Interested applicants must fulfil the following programme requirements to apply
- Be a founder or co-founder of a business in Africa
- Be ready to commit to 4 weeks, 10 hours/week
- Be between 18-35 years of age
- Have a product or service ready to go to market within a month
- Have proficiency in English.
Upon completing the programme, participants will be invited to join The ROOM community, where they will access a global network of resources and support to grow their business.
To apply, visit: YEP Application
Apply for the Business Professionals Network Entrepreneurship Development Program before 28 February 2022
Apply for the Business Professionals Network Entrepreneurship Development Program before 28 February 2022
Business Professionals Network (BPN), a Swiss non-profit organization with operations in Rwanda, seeks applicants for the Entrepreneurship Development Program. The annual program seeks 30 entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses. Successful applicants will be offered skills in business administration, leadership, time and financial management, and marketing. Additionally, participants will have access to executive coaching, advanced hands-on training, access to finance and an opportunity to network and work with fellow entrepreneurs through the Business Owners Association.
Entrepreneurs interested in joining the BPN’s entrepreneurship development program must fulfil the following criteria:
- Have a legally registered business operating for a minimum of 2 years (RDB certificate to be attached to the application)
- Have a minimum of 4 permanent staff (including the business owner)
- Have a Rwandan nationality
- Be between the ages of 18 and 50 years old
- Seek to create sustainable and impactful business
- Have a business that provides added value to its products/services
- Be motivated to expand the business
- Have the ability to pay a subsidized program contribution fee
To apply for this program, visit BPN Entrepreneurship Development Program
Are you a startup with a tech solution? Apply for the Oracle for Startups program
Are you a startup with a tech solution? Apply for the Oracle for Startups program
Oracle, a multinational cloud computing company, seeks to support African tech startups to drive business growth across different industries through the Oracle for Startups program. African tech startups will benefit from USD 10,000 of cloud credits to improve the essential tasks of their early operations, such as running a simulation and creating a rendering. Additionally, selected participants will receive hands-on technical support, executive mentoring, access to go-to-market resources, and new customer engagements.
Interested applicants must fulfil the following to qualify for the program:
- Have a registered startup business in Africa
- Have been founded within the last ten years and have a functioning website or public profile and LinkedIn profile
- Be associated with one or more of the following: accelerators, seed/ventures capital firms, and startup enabling organizations/initiatives
- The following are not eligible for the Oracle for Startups program:
- Previous graduates of Oracle for Startups program
- Public companies
- Oracle customers (including their subsidiaries)
- Oracle partner network members
The Oracle for Startups is a two-year program after the enrollment date. To apply for this program, visit:
Are you an early-stage fintech startup in Rwanda? Apply for Stitch fintech startup showcase before 10 February 2022
Are you an early-stage fintech startup in Rwanda? Apply for Stitch fintech startup showcase before 10 February 2022
Stitch, a South African API infrastructure live in Nigeria and South Africa, in partnership with Paystack and Disrupt Africa, are set to host a startup showcase for African early-stage FinTechs. The showcase will provide an opportunity for early-stage FinTechs to share their solutions with local and global investors and support to prepare for the pitch from the Stitch team.
The showcase will take place in Cape Town, South Africa on 25 February 2022. Interested applicants must have a FinTechor embedded finance solution based in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Ghana, Uganda, Zambia, Tanzania or Rwanda. Selected companies will receive several benefits, including:
- Support to prepare for the pitch from members of the Stitch team
- An opportunity to pitch their solutions to an audience of global and local fintech and investors
- Access to office hours with members of the Stitch team
- Access to a 1-hour workshop with members of the Paystack team focused on fundraising and growth
- Free payment processing from Paystack for selected startups operating in Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana
- Access to the Stitch API for selected companies operating in Nigeria and South Africa for six months
Note: All applicants working in Nigeria and South Africa will receive two months of free access to the Stitch API
To apply for this showcase, visit: Stitch Startup Showcase Applications
Are you a university student or a recent graduate with an innovative digital idea? Apply for the Digital Innovations for Business Resilience in the EAC program before 21 February 2022
Are you a university student or a recent graduate with an innovative digital idea? Apply for the Digital Innovations for Business Resilience in the EAC program before 21 February 2022
Digital Innovations for Business Resilience in the East African Community, a program under Digital Skills for an Innovative East African Industry (dSkills@EA) project, seeks to support young innovators from universities from the EAC member states. Through the program, young innovators will be supported to develop and implement digital innovations for business resilience in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The dSkills@EA project is part of the technical development cooperation between the EAC and Germany.
Ten selected teams per country will be offered an opportunity to participate at the National Pitch-Event, where they will present their digital innovations to the industry, academia, investors, government representatives and the EAC entrepreneurship ecosystem stakeholders. Additionally, selected participants will benefit from the following:
- Opportunity to finetune their innovative idea via online ideathon to acquire skills in customer insights, product development and business modelling
- Access to connections from the East African Innovation Ecosystem
- An opportunity to be selected for the boot camp to receive in-depth support through mentors and trainers to shape their innovations further.
- Team winners will receive grants of a pool of USD 10,000
Interested applicants must fulfil the following to apply:
- Be university students or recent graduates (not more than one year in the past)
- Be from an East African University
- Be between 18 and 35 years of age
- Have fluency in English
- Possess an idea for digital innovation or are in early implementation stages.
- Have a team of a minimum of two people.
To apply for this program, visit: Digital Innovations for Business Resilience in the EAC
Apply for the second cohort of the Fintech Incubation Program by 27 July 2022!
Apply for the second cohort of the Fintech Incubation Program by 27 July 2022!
In December 2021, Co-creation Hub (CcHUB), a research and development tech lab innovating for social impact, collaborated with Google, Mojaloop Foundation, and the Government of Rwanda to launch a Fintech Incubation Program. This program is one of the initiatives designed to accelerate Rwanda’s digital transformation to drive inclusive economic development by leveraging technology and fostering a pan-African Incubation ecosystem.
Through this program, CcHUB will be supporting early-stage fintech startups and innovators (with at least a Minimum Viable Product) through an incubation program. Selected companies in the second cohort will be offered a $10,000 grant. Additionally, successful applicants stand to benefit from the following:
- Equity-free funding of up to $10,000
- Product, market readiness, and investment support
- Mentorship from industry and sector experts
- Access to Google products and Mojaloop
- Access to a network of partners and investors from CcHUB
- Additional funding opportunities
Interested applicants must complete the following eligibility criteria:
- Headquartered and/or operating in Rwanda
- Have already launched a product in the market or at least a Minimum Viable Product
- Have a registered business that has been in operation (since launch date) for at least six months
- Have at least one full-time and dedicated founder
To attend the information session about the program on 20 Wednesday, 2022, visit: FIP info session
To apply, visit: Fintech Incubation Program
Do you have a business that is keen on sustainability? Apply for the Swedish Institute Management Programme by 13 February 2022!
Do you have a business that is keen on sustainability? Apply for the Swedish Institute Management Programme by 13 February 2022!
The Swedish Institute, a public agency that encourages interest and trust in Sweden globally, invites applicants for its Swedish Institute Management Programme 2022. The programme is set to support 60 African businesses interested in bridging the gap between desire and action on sustainability. Through the programme, participants will be given tools and have access to knowledge from experts in the field to support them in putting sustainability at the core of their business strategy and improving their leadership skills.
The programme will be conducted online and at local conferences where participants will benefit from:
- Access to in-depth knowledge and skills about sustainable business practices focusing on human rights, climate and the environment, decent working conditions and anti-corruption
- Access to capacity building and knowledge transfer to lead change and promote sustainable business practices in an entrepreneur’s organisation
- Learn from insights into business cases for sustainability in Sweden, one of the leading countries in sustainable business practice
- Access to knowledge that allows entrepreneurs to use design thinking to develop creative and sustainable solutions to complex problems
- Access to customized expert coaching based on an entrepreneurs’ organisation and their personal needs
- Unique opportunity for close collaboration and exchange with colleagues from several other countries, developing strong, long-lasting professional networks
- Access to the global Swedish Institute alumni network with leaders committed to sustainable business and responsible leadership
The programme seeks to support entrepreneurs keen on sustainably running their businesses and advocate for sustainable business practices in their respective countries. Additionally, interested applicants should fulfil the following to apply:
- Be a citizen and resident of Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda or Zambia
- Be between 25 and 50 years old
- Have an entrepreneurial mindset and a track record of making things happen
- Demonstrate a willingness to support and share their experience and knowledge with other participants
- Have a high level in both written and spoken English
- Have a post-secondary education
To apply, visit: SIMP Application
Feeling stressed managing your business, family, and personal wellbeing? Try these tips!
Feeling stressed managing your business, family, and personal wellbeing? Try these tips!
Fortunately, the economy has reopened, and entrepreneurs are gradually building back. Yet, building back after a difficult time comes with its challenges, and the stress it causes can impact entrepreneurs’ motivation and productivity.
Managing stress can help entrepreneurs stay motivated and in the long run improve their productivity in running their businesses while also improving their overall wellbeing.
Are you an entrepreneur with a solution that tackles hunger, improves food security, and strengthens food systems? Apply for the IGNITE Food Systems Challenge from the World Food Program (WFP) Rwanda by 6 February 2022!
Are you an entrepreneur with a solution that tackles hunger, improves food security, and strengthens food systems? Apply for the IGNITE Food Systems Challenge from the World Food Program (WFP) Rwanda by 6 February 2022!
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and Impact Hub Kigali (IHK) seek to support innovative entrepreneurs through the IGNITE Food Systems Challenge. Through the Challenge, WFP Rwanda is looking for entrepreneurs with solutions that tackle hunger, improve food security, and strengthen food systems. This Challenge is supported by the USAID Bureau of Humanitarian Affairs (BHA) and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The inaugural IGNITE Food Systems Challenge will support Rwandan startups, SMEs and cooperatives to scale up their solutions, contributing to the economy while creating a positive social impact by addressing different gaps that exist in food systems. Successful applicants stand to benefit from USD 50,000 in equity-free funding and six months of technical support to strengthen entrepreneurial skills with support from experts and mentors. Additionally, successful applicants will also get an opportunity to network with WFP’s network of public, private, and government partners.
Interested applicants must fulfil the following criteria to apply:
- Possess a valid registration/certificate of incorporation for operating in Rwanda
- Have proof of a revenue-generating business (total turnover in the case of cooperatives) of at least the equivalent of 5,000 USD for the year 2020-21
- Have a team of at least three full-time employees dedicated to the SME/cooperative, including the founding team
- Have at least 50% of its founding and senior management team from Rwanda/East Africa
- Have key operations in Rwanda
Note: Ventures that are women-led and have demonstrated action towards promoting women in their supply chain are encouraged to apply.
Interested applicants should apply by 6 February 2022.
For more information about the Challenge, visit: IGNITE Food Systems Challenge
Do you have a tech solution that positively impacts society? Apply for the Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge by February 11, 2022!
Do you have a tech solution that positively impacts society? Apply for the Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge by February 11, 2022!
Cisco, a multinational technology conglomerate, seeks to support tech startups through their Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge. The aim of this competition is to recognize and reward early-stage entrepreneurs worldwide whose tech business solutions are focused on social impact in their communities.
Successful applicants will benefit from peer and industry validation of their tech solutions and an opportunity for global recognition and publicity for their businesses. Additionally, successful applicants will receive the following cash prizes:
Panel vote:
- A single team will be awarded USD 250,000 as a grand winner
- Three teams globally (Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia, Asia Pacific, Japan and China) will be awarded USD 75,000 each as regional first runner ups
- Three teams will be awarded USD 50,000 each as second runners ups
People and employees’ choice:
- The finalist entry who will receive the most votes will be awarded a people’s choice award, and they will receive USD 10,000.
- The finalist entry who will receive the most votes will be awarded the Cisco Employees’ Choice award and will receive a cash prize of USD 15,000
Special prizes:
- Special prizes for climate impact and regeneration prize won by a single team with a cash prize of USD 100,000 for the winner, USD 50,000 for the second runners up and USD 50,000 for the HBCU startup prize.
Interested applicants should fulfil the following conditions to be eligible for the Challenge:
- Have tech solutions that use digital technology to positively impact society or the environment.
- Applicants should have tech solutions focusing at least on one of these areas, including water or food security, health care, financial inclusion, education, accessibility, and the environment.
- Applicants registering as individuals or a team must be above 18 years of age.
- Applicants registering as business entities should be legally registered with the local authorities.
To apply for the Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge, visit: CGPSC Application