Are you an African startup building innovative technology solutions? Apply for the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme before 18 March 2026.
Are you an African startup building innovative technology solutions? Apply for the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme before 18 March 2026.
Applications are open for the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme. Google for Startups, Google’s initiative supporting early-stage entrepreneurs, is inviting applications from African technology startups using innovation to solve local and global challenges across the continent.
The Google for Startups Accelerator Africa is an equity-free, three-month accelerator programme designed to support promising startups through technical mentorship, business growth support, and access to Google’s global network. The programme focuses on helping founders scale their solutions and build sustainable, high-impact businesses.
Through the programme, selected startups will benefit from the following:
- Equity-free support and tailored mentorship from Google and industry experts
- Technical training and product support, including guidance on engineering, UX, and cloud solutions
- Access to Google tools, resources, and product credits to support startup growth
- Strategic support on business development, leadership, and scaling operations
- Connection to a global network of founders, investors, and partners
Interested applicants are required to meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Be a technology-focused startup using innovation to address a real-world problem
- Be based in Africa and primarily serve African or global markets
- Have an MVP or early-stage product with demonstrated traction
- Have at least one founder of African descent
- Be committed to participating fully in the duration of the accelerator programme
To apply, visit the official application page at Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme Applications.
Are you driving innovation at the intersection of science, technology, and the arts? Apply for the STARTS Prize before 4 March 2026
Are you driving innovation at the intersection of science, technology, and the arts? Apply for the STARTS Prize before 4 March 2026
Applications are open for the STARTS Prize 2026, an initiative of the European Commission that recognises and rewards innovative projects at the intersection of Science, Technology, and the Arts (STARTS). The programme invites artists, technologists, researchers, and interdisciplinary teams from around the world to submit groundbreaking projects that demonstrate how artistic exploration can shape technological and societal innovation.
The STARTS Prize is a flagship European award designed to highlight visionary collaborations and artistic works that contribute to sustainable, human-centred, and socially relevant technological development. Selected projects gain international visibility and are showcased across major European platforms and networks.
Through the prize, selected participants will benefit from the following:
- International recognition through a prestigious European Commission–backed award
- Monetary prizes awarded to outstanding projects and collaborations
- Exhibition and showcase opportunities at leading European events and institutions
- Increased visibility among policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and cultural organisations
- Inclusion in the broader STARTS ecosystem supporting art–technology innovation
Interested applicants are required to meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Submit a project operating at the intersection of science, technology, and the arts
- Be an individual, collective, or organisation from any country worldwide
- Present original work that demonstrates innovation, creativity, and societal relevance
- Projects may be artistic works, interdisciplinary collaborations, or applied innovations
- Submissions must align with the values of responsible, ethical, and sustainable innovation
To apply for the STARTS Prize 2026, visit the official application page at https://starts.eu/opportunities/starts-prize-2026/.
Are you an early-stage startup with a scalable business idea? Apply for the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme by 1 March 2026
Are you an early-stage startup with a scalable business idea? Apply for the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme by 1 March 2026
Applications are now open for the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) Entrepreneurship Programme 2026. The Tony Elumelu Foundation, a leading African private-sector-led philanthropic organisation empowering young African entrepreneurs across all 54 African countries, is inviting applications from innovators and early-stage founders with growth-oriented business ideas or existing startups.
The TEF Entrepreneurship Programme is a flagship initiative designed to identify, train, mentor, and fund African entrepreneurs. Successful applicants will benefit from a structured business training curriculum, seed funding, mentorship, and expanded professional networks.
Through the programme, successful applicants will be offered the following:
- World-class business management training delivered over a structured curriculum
- Non-refundable seed capital of up to USD 5,000
- One-on-one mentorship
- Access to key networks and market opportunities across Africa and globally
- Participation in the TEFConnect proprietary digital platform for business support and community engagement
Interested applicants are required to fulfil the following eligibility requirements:
- Have a scalable business idea or an early-stage company (typically 0–5 years old) operating in any sector
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Applications must focus on one business entity or idea only
- Businesses must be located in and primarily serve African markets
- Business activities must not adversely affect the environment, lives, or property
- Business ideas must be the original work of those making the submission
To apply for the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme 2026, visit the official programme application portal on TEFConnect.
Are you an early-stage startup using frontier technologies for social impact? Apply for the UNICEF Venture Fund StartUp Lab Cohort 6 by 20 February 2026
Are you an early-stage startup using frontier technologies for social impact? Apply for the UNICEF Venture Fund StartUp Lab Cohort 6 by 20 February 2026
Applications are now open for the 2026 UNICEF Venture Fund StartUp Lab Cohort 6. The UNICEF Venture Fund, a programme of the United Nations Children’s Fund, is seeking technology-driven startups that utilise frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence, data science, blockchain, and other digital innovations to address real-world social challenges.
The StartUp Lab accelerator aims to identify, mentor, and support startups that demonstrate bold, scalable solutions with measurable social impact, particularly in areas aligned with UNICEF’s mission and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Through the programme, successful applicants will be offered the following:
- Direct engagement with UNICEF programme experts across key sectors
- Industry-led training, mentorship, and hands-on technical support
- Access to UNICEF’s global network of country offices and strategic partners
- Opportunities to engage with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Ghana
- Up to USD 6,000 in prototyping funding
- USD 15,000 scale-up funding for the top three performing startups
- Guidance on aligning products with the SDGs and contributing to the digital public goods ecosystem
Interested applicants are required to fulfil the following eligibility requirements:
- Be an early-stage startup, ideally with a functional prototype
- Be based in and serving low- and middle-income countries
- Demonstrate a commitment to open-source principles
- Develop solutions addressing one or more of the following areas:
- Urban technology
- Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
- Child protection
- Education
- Healthcare
- Climate resilience
- Financial inclusion
To apply for the UNICEF Venture Fund StartUp Lab Cohort 6, visit the official programme application portal.
Accelerate X Fuze Challenge
Are you a tech-startup founder in East Africa with a solution in transport, logistics or mobility? Apply for the Accelerate X Fuze Challenge before 21 November 2025
The Accelerate X Fuzé Challenge is a partnership initiative between Digital Africa, the Yiri (AGL) Group and other ecosystem partners. It targets innovative start-ups from East Africa, including Rwanda, in transport and logistics. Success applicants will have the chance to pitch in Kigali and gain access to a six-month acceleration programme.
Selected participants will have the opportunity to pitch live in Kigali and be part of a top cohort of startups. The Challenge offers access to the Fuzé investment scheme through Digital Africa, which provides pre-seed funding tickets of up to €100,000 tailored for African tech start-ups. Participants will also join a six-month acceleration programme designed to help them scale operations and connect with mentors, investors and other partners.
Eligible applicants include startups founded by at least one African national and operating in or serving East Africa. Businesses should have a technology-oriented model, ideally in the mobility, transport or logistics sectors. Applicants are expected to have a minimum viable product or early traction in the market.
Interested startups can apply by submitting their profile here.
Are you a young entrepreneur or woman-led business in Rwanda looking to grow through training, access to financing and markets? Apply for the Kataza Programme from the African Management Institute.
Are you a young entrepreneur or woman-led business in Rwanda looking to grow through training, access to financing and markets? Apply for the Kataza Programme from the African Management Institute.
Kataza programme is run by a consortium led by African Management Institute (AMI), in partnership with the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD), the Mastercard Foundation and other organisations. This initiative targets financially excluded youth-led businesses, especially those led by women, in 15 districts of Rwanda, with a particular focus on the agriculture, tourism and hospitality sectors. It offers access to affordable financing, real-time business advisory services, and supports businesses to scale and create meaningful employment opportunities.
Participants benefit from practical business training, coaching and financial literacy development. The programme also provides support for market expansion, networking, and building business growth strategies. Businesses can access tailored loan products through partner financial institutions designed to overcome typical financial barriers faced by young and women-led MSMEs. Additional digital and in-person support includes linkages to suppliers, markets and institutions.
Eligible applicants include youth-led MSMEs, typically aged 18–35, with a strong focus on women-owned businesses. The programme also targets businesses that are financially excluded or disadvantaged, including those run by persons with disabilities and refugees. MSMEs should be operating in agriculture, tourism, hospitality or adjacent sectors and be located within one of the 15 selected districts in Rwanda.
To participate in Kataza or learn more about how to benefit or partner, contact AMI Rwanda at kataza@africanmanagers.com.
Are you a woman entrepreneur looking to grow your business with affordable, long-term financing? Apply for the Shabuka Financing Program.
Are you a woman entrepreneur looking to grow your business with affordable, long-term financing?
The Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD) has launched “Shabuka”, a new financing initiative designed to make access to credit easier for women-led and women-owned enterprises.
“Shabuka,” meaning Be Proactive, provides low-interest loans and flexible collateral terms to empower women in business. The program aims to increase women’s access to finance from 15% to 30% of BRD’s lending portfolio by 2028. In addition to loans, it offers business mentorship and capacity-building support to help entrepreneurs strengthen their management and financial skills.
The program includes the following features and benefits
- Affordable rates: Annual interest rate of 12%, significantly lower than the market average of 17%.
- Flexible repayment: Loan terms of up to 10 years, giving businesses room to grow sustainably.
- Reduced collateral: Only 15% collateral required, which can include the value of the funded project itself.
- Loan amount: Between Rwf 100 million and Rwf 2 billion, depending on project size and potential.
- Non-financial support: Business training, mentorship, and advisory services included.
To qualify for the Shabuka financing program, businesses must the following criteria:
- Be at least 40% owned or led by women.
- Operate in one of BRD’s priority sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, exports, energy, housing, education, transport, ICT, and the digital economy.
- Have an existing or projected annual turnover of at least Rwf 5 billion.
- Demonstrate a focus on growth, sustainability, and socio-economic impact.
- Businesses with other active loans are still eligible to apply, as Shabuka is intended to help expansion, not debt refinancing.
Interested entrepreneurs can apply by sending their applications to shabuka@brd.rw.
The program is part of BRD’s ongoing commitment to support inclusive economic growth by enabling more women to access the financing they need to scale their enterprises.
Are you an entrepreneur working to restore degraded forests and farmland in Africa? Apply now for the AFR100 Land Accelerator Africa Project before 30 October 2025.
Are you an entrepreneur working to restore degraded forests and farmland in Africa? Apply now for the AFR100 Land Accelerator Africa Project before 30 October 2025.
The AFR100 Land Accelerator, led by AUDA-NEPAD in partnership with the World Resources Institute and Fledge, supports early- to growth-stage restoration entrepreneurs across Africa. The program is designed to equip entrepreneurs with technical training, mentorship, grants, and investor connections to scale land restoration businesses that benefit people and the planet.
The program combines financial and non-financial support, including a results-based grant, training, and networking opportunities. If your enterprise is committed to sustainable land restoration, the AFR100 Land Accelerator provides a strong platform to grow your impact.
Successful participants will receive the following benefits:
- A USD 5,000 innovation grant to support women and youth restoration entrepreneurs.
- Tailored mentorship and technical training, including weekly sessions and an in-person workshop.
- Access to a network of restoration entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem partners.
- Opportunities to showcase your business at the Impact Day event.
- Participation in a two-phase cohort program combining virtual and in-person learning.
- Increased visibility through AUDA-NEPAD and partner networks.
Interested applicants must fulfil the following criteria:
- Be an entrepreneur or enterprise focused on restoring degraded forests and/or farmland in Africa.
- Operate at early- to growth-stage with a viable, scalable business model.
- Demonstrate potential to benefit women and youth restoration entrepreneurs.
- Be able to commit to both the virtual and in-person phases of the program.
- Prepare and submit a business proposal with supporting documents as outlined in the call for proposals.
Interested entrepreneurs can submit their proposals directly through the AUDA-NEPAD website. Be ready to share details about your business model, traction, financials, and your vision for scaling land restoration solutions. Strong applications will clearly demonstrate both commercial viability and measurable environmental impact.
Apply here.
Are you a growth-stage fintech driving financial inclusion for women affected by migration? Apply now for SHIFT 2025 program before 1 October 2025.
Are you a growth-stage fintech driving financial inclusion for women affected by migration? Apply now for SHIFT 2025 program before 1 October 2025.
SHIFT (Scaling Holistic Inclusion in Fintech Transformation) is a program designed to support growth-stage fintechs and embedded fintech ventures operating in Sub-Saharan Africa, MENA, or Asia who are serving or ready to pivot toward serving women affected by migration and other vulnerable groups.
The program combines financial and non-financial support: a results-based grant, tailored mentorship, investor access, and visibility. If your fintech is growing and committed to inclusive financial solutions, SHIFT provides a powerful platform to scale your impact.
Successful participants will receive the following benefits:
- A $10,000 results-based grant to support pilot or expansion of inclusive financial solutions.
- Tailored mentorship and expert support, including migration specialists and peer learning opportunities.
- Investor and partner access through a network of more than 500 ecosystem players.
- Use of the SIGMA platform to test business models, track growth, and measure impact.
- Guidance on gender-inclusive practices such as sex-disaggregated data collection and gender KPIs.
- Opportunities for visibility through media features, podcasts, and case studies.
- Invitations to fintech and ecosystem events across participating regions.
Interested applicants must fulfil the following criteria:
- Operate in fintech or embedded fintech.
- Be a growth-stage company with proven traction and revenue.
- Have raised capital in the last 12 months or be actively fundraising.
- Be a for-profit and revenue-generating entity with clear scalability potential.
- Operate in Sub-Saharan Africa, MENA, or Asia.
- Serve, or be ready to pivot toward serving, women affected by migration or other vulnerable groups.
Interested fintechs can submit their proposals directly here. Be prepared to share details about your business model, traction, financials, and your vision for scaling toward women affected by migration. Strong applications will clearly demonstrate both commercial viability and social impact.
Are you an African start-up seeking to become investment-ready? Apply for the GIZ-SAIS Investment Readiness Programme before 28 September 2025
Are you an African start-up seeking to become investment-ready? Apply for the GIZ-SAIS Investment Readiness Programme before 28 September 2025
Applications are now open for the 2026 GIZ-SAIS Investment Readiness Programme (IRP). The IRP is a free, year-long, tailor-made support programme for African start-ups creating impact in the agricultural sector, either directly or through areas such as climate, livestock, energy, biotech, fintech, circular economy, logistics, or other agri-adjacent sectors.
The programme helps start-ups become investor-ready and grow through customised advisory, targeted technical support, and access to a vibrant community of founders, experts, and investors.
Selected start-ups will participate in a one-year, fully funded support programme, including:
- Up to €20,000 in technical assistance budget for consultancies, expert support, legal advice, online marketing, licenses, certifications, ESG governance, product optimisation, market entry strategies, customer acquisition, marketing and PR, graphic design, employee training, and more.
- Access to revolving working capital loans of up to €50,000 with a nine-month maturity at 1.5% interest.
- Up to €10,000 in digital agency advisory from an international IT consultancy firm to strengthen digital capacities, marketing skills, and data analytics.
- Fully sponsored trips to two in-person community events alongside the Africa Tech Summit in Nairobi (February of each year), plus one additional sector conference.
- Investment and partnership facilitation through invite-only pitch sessions, bespoke introductions to investors and funds, and guidance on fundraising strategy and due diligence.
- Membership in a community of over 100 portfolio companies.
Interested applicants should fulfil the following eligibility criteria:
Applicant companies will be evaluated against business model, technology, team, impact, and traction. Special consideration is given to companies with local founders and gender-diverse founding teams. To be eligible, companies should demonstrate the following:
- Geography and legal entity: Be for-profit and registered in Africa (all countries except South Africa).
- Team: Have a management team of at least two people.
- Stage: Be at pre-seed through Series A stage.
- Traction: Have a minimum viable product, evidence of revenue, and paying customers.
- Impact alignment: Operate in AgriFoodTech or an agricultural-adjacent sector with direct or indirect impact on agriculture or agricultural stakeholders.
If selected, start-ups should be prepared to:
- Nominate a management team member who dedicates an average of two hours per week to the programme and serves as a focal point for SAIS.
- Nominate and dispatch one employee to attend at least two in-person community events (February 2026 and February 2027, most likely in Nairobi).
- Provide data on company progress and growth during the programme and for one year after including, revenue, number of users, customers, funds raised, and employees (collected in compliance with data protection requirements).
- Facilitate access to customers or clients for an impact evaluation of products, services, or technologies.
- Collaborate with contracted experts and service providers to implement targeted technical support measures.
To apply, visit: GIZ-SAIS Investment Readiness Programme (IRP)