Are you an innovative start-up tech company interested in securing funding? Apply for the Hanga Pitchfest before 17 October 2022
Are you an innovative start-up tech company interested in securing funding? Apply for the Hanga Pitchfest before 17 October 2022
The Government of Rwanda led by the Ministry of ICT and Innovation and the Rwanda Development Board invites applicants for the second edition of the Hanga Pitchfest. The event brings together angel investors, tech company founders, private sector business leaders, and key players in the creative industry and academia. Hanga Pitchfest seeks tech-enabled start-ups or high-growth start-ups that demonstrate potential to scale up through the use of technology.
Building on last year’s Pitchfest, the 2022 edition aims to provide a unique platform for tech entrepreneurs and creative talents in Rwanda to showcase and promote the use of technology and innovation in Rwanda’s market. Participants are given a platform to network with potential investors and business partners.
Successful participants in the Hanga Pitchfest will win the following cash prizes:
- USD 50, 000 for the top start-up
- USD 12, 500 for four runners-up
To apply, visit: Hanga Pitchfest 2022
Are you an agri-SME interested in accessing finance? Apply for the AgriXcel Programme before 3 October 2022
Are you an agri-SME interested in accessing finance? Apply for the AgriXcel Programme before 3 October 2022
The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), in partnership with the African Management Institute (AMI) and Aceli Africa, invites applicants for the AgriXcel Programme. The programme is designed to support ambitious agri-SMEs by linking them to finance lenders and equipping them with practical tools and resources to improve their financial practices.
During the six month programme, participants will gain skills in making data-driven decisions and improving financial management using AMI Business, a financial tracking and analysis app, and implementing best practices for business growth, including financial analysis, leadership and governance, strategic business planning, customer management, markets, and streamlining operations. Participants will also gain linkages to financial service providers offering relevant financing as well as access peer learning and opportunities for collaboration.
Interested applicants must fulfill the following to apply:
- Be based in Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, or Uganda and interested in finance in the next 6-12 months
- Have generated revenue between USD 30,000 and USD 1,000,000 in the last financial year
- Be operational for more than two years
- Have at least two full-time employees
- Be willing to participate online with access to a smartphone, laptop, and internet connection
- Be willing to share financial/performance data as part of the financial goal tracking and analysis for finance readiness
- Be agri-SMEs who buy/sell from small-scale farmers or SMEs involved in logistics, processing, and handling food crops produced by small-scale producers
- Main participant must be the CEO, Managing Director, Owner, or Founder of the business; this person must be an active participant in the programme
- Other participants must be senior leaders in the business capable of supporting the implementation of key practices
- Women-owned businesses are highly encouraged to apply
To apply, visit: AgriXcel Programme Application
Call for Africa Food Security and Resilience Partnerships
Call for Africa Food Security and Resilience Partnerships
Through the Prosper Africa initiative, the USAID Africa Trade and Investment (ATI) program invites applicants for the Africa Food Security and Resilience Partnerships grant opportunity. ATI seeks partners to work with USAID to scale access to and availability of agricultural inputs, technologies, and food that directly respond to the food security and resilience impacts of ongoing price and availability shocks associated with the Russian-Ukraine conflict.
Interested applicants are required to submit a concept note that works towards one or multiple of the following comprehensive objectives:
- Increased food security
- Support to established businesses, farming associations, and sourcing partnerships that can rapidly scale access to crucial inputs such as seeds and fertilizers
- Partnerships with companies to scale production of food crops critical to food security and nutrition across multiple markets
- Export deals for critical inputs to food insecure regions
- Facilitate trade deals that deliver food from areas of surplus to those of scarcity
- Resilience of food systems
- Transaction identification, facilitation, and deal structuring related to Africa’s resilience and food security
- Development of new financing solutions addressing issues of Africa’s resilience and food security to accelerate access to key inputs or food products and scale production of essential value chains
- Expand farmers’ access to technologies that reduce reliance on rain-fed agriculture, reduce post-harvest loss, and reduce/replace the use of diesel/fuel
- Strengthening and optimization of supply chains, such as through the use of technology and data to quickly drive decision making and respond to new resilience shocks
Shortlisted applicants will be sent a request for an application. Successful applicants will be offered grants ranging from USD 500, 000 – USD 5,000,000.
Apply before 31 March 2023.
For more information on the programme and application details, visit: ANNUAL PROGRAM STATEMENT
Are you a woman entrepreneur operating in the digital space and interested in growing your business? Apply for the eTrade Women Initiative Masterclass before 10 September 2022
Are you a woman entrepreneur operating in the digital space and interested in growing your business? Apply for the eTrade Women Initiative Masterclass before 10 September 2022
The eTrade for Women initiative led by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development invites participants for a Masterclass for women digital entrepreneurs. The Masterclass, which will be held in Lagos, Nigeria, is aimed at addressing the barriers women entrepreneurs face in leveraging business opportunities from digital technologies for growth. The Masterclass is organized in partnership with Damilola Olokesusi, Founder and CEO of Shuttlers and an Advocate for eTrade for Women.
Participants in the Masterclass will have an opportunity to engage with renowned business leaders and experts in their fields. The Masterclass will be a combination of inspirational talks, learning sessions, networking and policy dialogues. Interested applicants need to fulfil the following requirements:
- Be a woman founder of an e-commerce business, or of a company that uses digital technologies as part of its business model
- Have a business based in one of the following countries: Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda
- Have a track record of 2 to 5 years in this role
- Have an intent to make a difference and impact your ecosystem
To apply for the Masterclass, visit: Applications
Apply for funding in the second phase of the Economic Recovery Fund (Hatana2)
Apply for funding in the second phase of the Economic Recovery Fund (Hatana)
Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD) and Business Development Fund (BDF) invite applicants for Hatana, the second phase of the Economic Recovery Fund. The Fund was launched on 18 May 2022 by the Government of Rwanda to support economic recovery for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through increased access to finance.
Through BRD, Hatana will provide much-needed funding to businesses that drive innovation, create employment opportunities, and prioritize Made in Rwanda in construction, agro-processing, textiles, and light manufacturing. The Fund is also expected to provide working capital loans to businesses that had at least a 20% reduction in sales for the past 12 months compared to pre-COVID-19.
The Fund will provide affordable financing through three windows:
- Investment (worth Rwf 150 billion)
This window will support businesses looking to expand or start a high-growth potential manufacturing business. Financing will be provided for fixed assets acquisition, operational expenditure related to building scale, and working capital.
- Working capital
This window is open to all sectors and will support your business in paying your employees and operating/fixed costs. It is meant to jumpstart production/operations after the economic slowdown caused by the pandemic.
- Refinancing (Rwf 37.5 billion)
This window will support the refinancing of existing loans in priority sectors determined by the Government of Rwanda via the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN).
For more information on the fund, eligibility criteria, and application details, visit: Hatana (ERF2)
Are you a social entrepreneur with a high-impact business? Apply for the Sankalp Global Awards before 7 July
Are you a social entrepreneur with a high-impact business? Apply for the Sankalp Global Awards before 7 July
The Sankalp Forum, an initiative of Intellecap, part of Aaviskhaar Group, invite applicants for the Sankalp Global Awards. The awards are part of the Sankalp Global Summit, an annual event that discusses global development and impact investing landscapes. This year’s edition of the awards seeks to celebrate social entrepreneurs who positively impact society, gain hands-on experience, and create innovative solutions with a global community. Interested applicants must have impactful social enterprises in Sankalp’s six impact areas, including agriculture, financial inclusion, health and wash, clean energy, livelihoods and future of work(ers), and affordable housing.
Successful applicants will benefit from the following:
- One-on-one investment readiness support to improve the pitch and investment ask
- Opportunity to pitch and get feedback from the eminent Sankalp Grand Jury and audience of investors
- Curated one-on-one introductions with global investors
- Collaborate with a global network of investors, donors, and entrepreneur support organizations
- Virtual exhibition space for your business to gain visibility and generate leads
Interested applicants must fulfil the following criteria to apply:
- Have a high-impact business that caters to rural, low-income, or disadvantaged communities in any of our 6 impact areas
- Have a clear for-profit business model with high potential for scale
- Have an experienced and dedicated promoter team
- Have some proof of concept on the ground that is generating revenues
- Are looking for funding in the range of USD 100,000 – USD 1,000,000
To apply for the Sankalp Global Awards , visit: Applications
Are you a women entrepreneur running a for-profit business with a social and environmental impact on your community? Apply for the 2023 Regional Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards before 30 June
Are you a women entrepreneur running a for-profit business with a social and environmental impact on your community? Apply for the 2023 Regional Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards before 30 June
The Cartier Women’s Initiative, an annual international entrepreneurship program, invites women entrepreneurs to apply for the 2023 Regional Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards. The program aims to drive change by empowering women entrepreneurs with businesses that have a strong and sustainable social and environmental impact.
Interested applicants must fulfill the following criteria to apply for the Awards:
- Business should be a for-profit designed to generate sufficient revenue to support its operations and return some level of profit to its owners.
- Business should be in the early stage of its development and growth (between 1 and 6 years of registered operations as date of application) with a proven business model.
- Business should be generating revenue from the sales of products and/or services for at least one year as of the date of the application.
- Business should not have raised more than USD 2,000,000 in dilutive funding (any kind of funding that requires you to give away a piece of your company, including not only future profits but possibly control).
- Business should demonstrate having a positive impact in its industry and demonstrate it has potential to have more impact if successful with the Awards.
- Business should contribute to at least one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs).
Successful applicants will benefit from the following
- Financial capital support: Successful applicants will be awarded grants in three categories. The first-place awardee will receive USD 100,000; the second-place awardee will receive USD 60,000; the third-place awardee will receive USD 30,000.
- Human capital support: Successful applicants will be offered training and collective workshops involving coaching, mentorship, and peer learning.
- Social capital support: Successful applicants will gain international exposure and media visibility and access to an online and offline community of 500+ experts and peers
To apply for the Awards, visit: Applications
Are you an innovative women agripreneur? Apply for the AGRA VALUE4HER Women Agripreneur of the Year Awards before 31 May 2022
Are you an innovative women agripreneur? Apply for the AGRA VALUE4HER Women Agripreneur of the Year Awards before 31 May 2022
AGRA, a farmer-centered, African-led, and partnerships-driven institution that catalyzes inclusive agricultural transformation in Africa, invites applicants for the VALUE4HER Women Agripreneur of the Year Awards (WAYA 2022). The award recognizes African women agripreneurs who have excelled in the agricultural value chain and have demonstrated exceptional innovation that addresses food security, climate resilience, and women and youth empowerment.
The WAYA awards recognize established and emerging women agripreneurs in three categories: young female entrepreneur (rising star), outstanding value-adding enterprise, and female agriculture technology innovator. Winners of each category will receive a cash prize of USD 20,000.
Women agripreneurs interested in participating must fulfill the following criteria to apply:
- Be operating in agriculture/agribusiness value chains
- Have an innovative product/service
- Be a national from one of the 54 African countries
- Have a solid digital footprint and be a VALUE4HER member
- Be a remarkable community leader actively amplifying the voice of women.
To apply for the WAYA awards, visit: WAYA Application
Are you an African female entrepreneur interested in preparing your business for investment? Apply for the ShEquity Business Accelerator program by 6 May 2022
Are you an African female entrepreneur interested in preparing your business for investment? Apply for the ShEquity Business Accelerator program by 6 May 2022
ShEquity, an investment catalyst for African female entrepreneurs, invites applicants for ShEquity Business Accelerator program (SHEBA). The 16-week program focuses on preparing female-led and -owned businesses for investment with the goal of increasing their chances of accessing seed funding. The program is also designed to enhance leadership and soft skills needed to engage with key partners/customers and to inspire women entrepreneurs to revamp and test their marketing strategies.
Through the program, participants will be equipped with the skillset to develop new business models and mindsets for innovation while leveraging existing tools that will help them maintain a competitive edge. The program supports African female entrepreneurs in agribusiness (agritech, production, processing wholesale & retailing, any other agribusiness value chain aspects), healthcare, tech-enabled solutions (fintech, clean tech, etc.), renewable energies, mobility and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs).
To apply for this program, visit: SHEBA Application
Are you a young tech innovator interested in scaling up your solution? Apply for the Africa Impact Challenge
Are you a young tech innovator interested in scaling up your solution? Apply for the Africa Impact Challenge
Africa Impact Initiative, a Canada-based organization committed to supporting young innovators, invites applicants for their Africa Impact Challenge. The goal of the Challenge is to enable young tech innovators from Africa to build market-creating innovations that tackle their country’s challenges with technology.
Successful participants will be offered the capital of up to RWF 20,486,915, resources, and a paid incubation period at the University of Toronto to build viable solutions. Interested participants should have comprehensive tech-enabled solutions that address an identified problem/challenge in their respective countries. Preference will be given to scalable, innovative business models with solutions that target non-consumption by increasing adoption, accessibility, or affordability.
Interested participants must fulfill the following to apply
- Be African under 39 years of age living in the countries of the given year’s Challenge
- Have a desire to pursue impact-focused entrepreneurship as a means of livelihood
- Have a desire to solve critical problems with technology
- Have full-time commitment from the team building the ventures
- Stream 1: Ventures based in Rwanda from any sector
- Stream 2: Ventures based across Africa that enable positive health outcomes
To apply for this Challenge, visit: Submit Application