Are you an entrepreneur with an innovative idea that aligns with one of the UN's SDGs? Apply for mentorship from the SDG Innovation Accelerator before 31 January 2026.
Are you an entrepreneur with an innovative idea that aligns with one of the UN’s SDGs? Apply for mentorship from the SDG Innovation Accelerator before 31 January 2026.
The United Nations Global Compact invites applicants to the SDG Innovation Accelerator, a transformative program designed to empower and support young professionals driving sustainable development and innovation. The primary goal of the SDG Innovation Accelerator is to foster innovative solutions that contribute to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Successful applicants will benefit from the following:
Participant benefits:
- Engage in accelerated learning opportunities including online and in-person workshops, case studies, company visits and forum discussions.
- Collaborate with other businesses on innovative projects tailored to your company and industry.
- Build valuable relationships through coaching, mentoring and peer-to-peer networking.
- Gain insights from leading experts in sustainability and innovation from around the world.
- Join a global network of talented young professionals from top companies across every continent.
Company benefits:
- Apply SDG innovation to address real sustainability challenges your company is currently facing.
- Embed the SDGs into your company’s business strategy through collaboration, innovation and knowledge sharing.
- Enhance employee engagement and create professional development opportunities.
- Access a network of experts from some of the world’s leading companies.
- Receive global recognition for your company’s participation in the programme.
Interested applicants must meet the following criteria to apply:
- High performing professionals at participating companies of the UN Global Compact
- Must be 35 years or younger
- Have an interest in business model innovation, sustainability and disruptive technologies
- Be willing to dedicate a minimum of 4 hors a month to the Accelerator Learning Plan and attend aleast four 1-day workshop
To apply for the program, visit Applications.
Are you a woman with an innovative tech solution? Apply for funding from the Aurora Tech Award before 21 November 2024.
Are you a woman with an innovative tech solution? Apply for funding from the Aurora Tech Award before 21 November 2024.
The Aurora Tech Award, an annual global prize for women founders of tech startups, has opened its 2024 applications. The Award aims to recognize and celebrate the achievements of women entrepreneurs in the tech industry and to provide them with the resources and support they need to grow their businesses.
Interested applicants must meet the following criteria to apply:
- Be operational for less than five years
- Be founded or co-founded and led by a woman
- Have a working prototype or Most Viable Product (MVP)
- Fit in the investment limit of USD 4 million in funding, including seed round
Winners of the Aurora Tech Award will receive:
- A cash prize of $85,000 – financial support for the top 5 winners
- Access to a network of mentors and investors
- The opportunity to participate in a global accelerator program
- Increased visibility and recognition for their startup
To apply for the Award, visit: Application
Are you a startup in need of funding and expert support? Apply to the ongoing Gen F Entrepreneur in Residence Initiative.
Are you a startup in need of funding and expert support? Apply to the ongoing Gen F Entrepreneur in Residence Initiative.
Founders Factory Africa, a pan-African investment company, invites applicants to the Generation Founder (Gen F) Entrepreneur in Residence initiative. This founder-led initiative supports startups in developing and testing their concepts and provides them with funding of up to USD 250,000 to validate and launch their idea.
Successful applicants will receive the following benefits:
- Access to experts to refine your concept for 12 weeks
- A budget to test, learn and budget to validate your idea
- Funding upon internal approval of up to USD 250,000
Interested applicants must fulfil the following criteria to apply:
- Domain experts who have a unique insight into the problem they are trying to solve
- Corporate professionals looking to move into entrepreneurship due to a gap in the market that they have identified
- Senior operators who have worked in an African startup previously
- Founders with a well-researched concept solving a deep African problem in a large market
- Founders who can commit full-time to refine and validate their concept for 10-12 weeks and then move full-time into their startup
- Ideas with high potential for commercial returns, with embedded impact
- Founders who are at the earliest stages of building their startup idea (pre-revenue)
- Former startup founders who understand what it takes to build startup ideas
For more information and application details, visit Gen F Entrepreneur in Residence initiative
Do you have an impactful solution addressing health challenges in Africa? Apply for mentorship and support from the Africa Oxford Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship programme before 31 May 2024
Do you have an impactful solution addressing health challenges in Africa? Apply for mentorship and support from the Africa Oxford Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship programme before 31 May 2024
The University of Oxford, through its Africa Oxford Initiative, invites applicants to the Africa Oxford Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship programme. The multi-disciplinary programme seeks to support African innovators in building high-growth startups with real impact to address health and improve livelihoods on the continent.
The 50 successful applicants will complete a self-paced interactive virtual programme over 16 weeks. The programme will cover systems thinking, making financial projections, writing and delivering a pitch, and navigating intellectual property and regulatory hurdles. Additionally, the participants will be offered personalized mentorship and support to develop their ventures and a platform for networking with fellow innovators.
Interested participants should at least have high-impact solutions aimed at:
- Reducing premature deaths from non reducing premature deaths from non-communicable diseases amongst African populations
- Optimizing diagnostic and prognostic tests for African contexts
- Novel diagnostic tools to increase resilience to endemic diseases
- Preventing, diagnosing or treating zoonotic diseases
Furthermore, interested applicants must fulfil the following to apply:
- Be a national of an African country or have indefinite leave to remain in an African country
- Be based in an African country in which they must be a legal resident
- Be developing the proposed health solution in their host country
For more information, visit Africa Oxford Health Innovation. To apply, visit Application form.
Are you a tech-enabled early-stage startup in need of investment funding? Apply for the Renew Venture Lab.
Are you a tech-enabled early-stage startup in need of investment funding? Apply for the Renew Venture Lab.
Renew Capital, a pan-African early-stage investment firm invites applicants for the Renew Venture Lab, a hybrid training for early-stage tech startups. The Lab targets growth-oriented founders of tech-enabled, asset-light companies in East African countries, including Rwanda, with traction and are at the stage of raising their first round of capital.
Interested applicants will be invited for orientation sessions to learn the operations of Renew Capital, the basic steps of the investment process, and key documents involved in the investment process.
Successful applicants will receive the following benefits:
- Investment Capital between USD 50,000 and USD 300,000 for each startup, depending on Renew Capital’s assessment of growth potential. Businesses may qualify for larger rounds of funding from Renew Capital’s follow-on fund as they continue to scale their business
- Business skills development including growth tools, management tactics, and pitch coaching
- Networking skills, including instruction, coaching and mentorship from Renew Capital staff
Shortlisted startups will be invited to pitch to Renew Capital’s investment committee.
To apply, visit Renew Venture Lab Applications
Are you a tech startup interested in scaling your business? Apply for the SLINGSHOT 2024 Competition before 1 July 2024
Are you a tech startup interested in scaling your business? Apply for the SLINGSHOT 2024 Competition before 1 July 2024
SLINGSHOT 2024, a tech startup pitch competition powered by STARTUP SG, invites applicants for its 2024 edition. The program is a unique opportunity for deep tech startups to accelerate their growth and gain exposure in the global market. Through SLINGSHOT 2024, 50 selected startups will have a chance to be immersed in Asia’s leading startup community and win cash prizes. Successful applicants will also receive the following benefits:
- Pitching Workshops: Participants will attend workshops led by industry experts to learn how to craft compelling pitches and effectively communicate their value proposition.
- Mentorship: Participants will be paired with experienced mentors who will provide guidance and support throughout the competition, helping startups refine their business strategies and navigate the challenges of the deep tech industry.
- Networking Opportunities: SLINGSHOT 2024 will facilitate networking events, allowing startups to connect with potential investors, partners, and customers, as well as learn from the experiences of other deep tech entrepreneurs.
- Exposure: The competition provides a platform for startups to showcase their innovative solutions to a global audience, increasing their visibility and credibility in the deep tech industry.
- Funding Opportunities: Winners of SLINGSHOT 2024 will receive cash prizes and potential investment opportunities from venture capital firms and angel investors.
- Business Support: Startups will have access to resources and support services, such as legal advice, market research, and office space, to help them scale their businesses.
- Knowledge Sharing: Participants will gain valuable insights and learn best practices from industry experts, mentors, and fellow entrepreneurs.
Interested participants should meet the following criteria to apply:
- Focus on Deep Tech: Startups must be developing innovative solutions in the deep tech industry, such as:
- Consumer Media, Goods and Services
- Environment, Energy and Green Technologies
- Health and Biomedical
- Manufacturing, Trade and Connectivity
- Transformative Digital Technologies
- Early-Stage: The competition is open to startups in the pre-seed, seed, or Series A funding stages
- Traction: Startups should demonstrate traction in their target market, such as having a minimum viable product, customer validation, or early revenue.
- Team: Startups must have a dedicated and skilled team with the necessary expertise to execute their business plan.
- Commitment: Participants must be committed to attending the training program and actively engaging in the competition.
To apply for the program, visit: SLINGSHOT 2024 Application
Do you have an innovative solution tackling adolescents sexual reproductive health or mental health? Apply for funding and mentorship from the Innovation Accelerator before 12 May 2024.
Do you have an innovative solution tackling adolescents sexual reproductive health or mental health? Apply for funding and mentorship from the Innovation Accelerator before 12 May 2024.
Imbuto Foundation, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund, Ministry of Youth and Arts and Friends of Imbuto, invites applicants with solutions addressing mental health and Sexual Reproductive Health challenges for the sixth phase of the Innovation Accelerator (iAccelerator) programme. The programme aims to explore new and engaging ways to tackle pressing population challenges in the region while promoting social entrepreneurship among young people. It also seeks to generate innovative, youth-led solutions for youth in Rwanda to increase the utilization of health services and adopt healthy and safe attitudes and behaviors.
The programme will start with a countrywide selection of sustainable and scalable youth-friendly SRH and Mental Health projects to select four projects as winners. Successful projects will receive seed funding of 10 million Rwandan Francs, skills development training, and mentorship for six months.
This year’s phase will focus on adolescent sexual reproductive (ASRH) and mental health. Interested participants should have innovative, sustainable solutions to break the stigma around mental health or improve access to adolescents’ SRH quality information and services. Additionally, interested applicants should be Rwandan nationals or residents of Rwanda between 18 and 30 years of age.
To apply, visit iAccelerator Applications.
Do you have a tech initiative that drives civic participation? Apply for the Africa Union Civic Tech Fund 2.0 by 12 May 2024!
Do you have a tech initiative that drives civic participation? Apply for the Africa Union Civic Tech Fund 2.0 by 12 May 2024!
The African Union Civic Tech Fund is a pan-African competition that seeks to support innovative civic initiatives that demonstrate the potential to lead to citizen-led transformative action across the African continent. Through the Fund, select initiatives will be awarded financial support of up to EUR 15,000 over an implementation period of six months to focus on upscaling, adaptation, or replication of pre-existing civic tech initiatives. Support may also be channelled towards funding the deployment of civic technology in partnership with a particular citizen group or civil society that does not have the expertise to do so independently.
In addition to financial support, the Fund will also provide technical support, including:
- Access to opportunities for skill development and enhancement covering digital literacy, promotion of inclusivity and diversity across initiatives, and development of advocacy strategies to influence policy at local levels
- Pitching your work within the vibrant civic tech community
- Peer-to-peer learning and becoming part of a network of civic-tech innovators from Africa.
Priorities for the Fund are relevant areas such as civic engagement, transparency and accountability, community-driven solutions, governance innovation and service delivery, youth empowerment, gender equality, peacebuilding and security.
Interested applicants must fulfil the following to apply:
- Have a legally registered entity
- Be registered in an African Union Member State
- Have proof of activity at least in the last year
- Have a comprehensive budget and financial structure
- Have a sustainability strategy
- Have a signed letter of recommendation
For more information about the Fund, visit CIVIC TECH FUND
To apply, visit CIVIC TECH FUND Application
Are you in need of training and mentorship to scale up your business? Apply for Cohort 2 of the SME Growth Lab Africa Accelerator Program before 23 April 2024
Are you in need of training and mentorship to scale up your business? Apply for Cohort 2 of the SME Growth Lab Africa Accelerator Program before 23 April 2024
SME Growth Lab Africa, a community impact project created to upskill SMEs in Africa, invites applicants for Cohort 2 of the 2024 Africa Digital Accelerator Program. Through this Program, established business owners across African countries will gain access to business training, mentorship, and support to take their businesses to a higher level.
Successful applicants will be taken through a 4-week extensive training led by exclusive facilitators in for modules in selling techniques, marketing strategies, financial literacy and management, and legal counselling. Additionally, participants will have access to community events, mentorship from experts, and a certificate of completion.
Interested applicants must fulfil the following to register:
- Be business owners based in any African country
- Be between 18-40 years of age
- Commit to attending virtual sessions and group calls
- Be willing to volunteer and participate in community events and project
To apply for the Program, visit: Applications
Are you a tech startup interested in mentorship and investor networking opportunities? Apply for the Market Access and Acceleration Program from the African Tech Startup Forum before 19 April 2024
Are you a tech startup interested in mentorship and investor networking opportunities? Apply for the Market Access and Acceleration Program from the African Tech Startup Forum before 19 April 2024
The African Tech Startup Forum, a Market Access and Acceleration Program designed to prepare, train, expose, and connect tech ventures with opportunities applicants for this year’s edition of the program. Its primary objective is to showcase exceptional tech innovations emerging from Africa and provide them with the necessary support and exposure to thrive in the global marketplace. The forum endeavours to accelerate the development and scaling of tech ventures across various industries by facilitating access to resources, mentorship, and strategic connections. Through this initiative, the forum seeks to advance the African tech landscape and drive the continent’s economic growth and technological innovation.
Successful applicants will receive the following benefits:
- Access to specialized resources, mentorship, and collaborative workspaces through the incubation program.
- Strategic connections facilitated by the B2B matchmaking platform to foster mutually beneficial partnerships.
- Investor sourcing assistance, connecting promising startups with potential investors to secure funding for scaling operations.
Target beneficiaries of the African Tech Startup Forum include tech ventures spanning all industries, encompassing established entities such as Accelerators and Incubators (ESOs) and early-stage startups operating within eligible African countries. These countries include Kenya, Morocco, Rwanda, Egypt, Uganda, Nigeria, South Africa, and Ghana.
Applicants must create and submit a 1-3 minute video introducing themselves and their business or project. The video should articulate the applicant’s aspirations and objectives for participating in the program. Once created, the video must be uploaded as private or unlisted on platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo. It should be accessible to anyone with the link, and applicants are advised to have the link ready for submission along with their application.
To apply, visit Application form