Do you have an innovative idea that addresses a social challenge? Apply for funding and business development support from the Social Shifters Global Innovation Challenge before 20 August 2023
Do you have an innovative idea that addresses a social challenge? Apply for funding and business development support from the Social Shifters Global Innovation Challenge before 20 August 2023
The Social Shifters Global Innovation Challenge, a global competition that aims to empower young social innovators, invites applications for its 2023 edition. The Challenge is designed to provide young social innovators with the resources and support they need to develop and implement their ideas.
Participants will have access to a world-leading Digital Incubator program, which includes e-learning, live events, peer support, and the opportunity to access expert mentors from the world’s leading companies. The Challenge also offers a cash prize of up to $10,000 for the best ideas.
Winners will be selected by a panel of judges who will be looking for ideas that are innovative, scalable, and have the potential to make a real impact on the world. Interested participants must meet the following eligibility criteria to apply:
- Be aged 18-30 years old
- Be from anywhere in the world
- Have an idea for a social innovation project
- Be able to commit to the entire duration of the Challenge (August 2023 – February 2024)
To apply, visit: Application
Do you have a tech solution that creates social change in your community? Apply for funding from ACT Foundation’s Changemaker Innovation Challenge before 31 July 2023
Do you have a tech solution that creates social change in your community? Apply for funding from ACT Foundation’s Changemaker Innovation Challenge before 31 July 2023
The Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation invites applicants to the Changemakers Innovation Challenge, which recognizes and rewards innovative social impact projects that use technology. The Challenge is open to African organizations (non-profits, businesses, and social enterprises) working to address a social or environmental challenge.
Winners of the Challenge will receive the following benefits:
- A cash prize of $10,000 to support their project.
- Access to a network of mentors and experts who can help them to develop and grow their projects.
- Exposure to potential funders and partners.
Interested participants must meet the following criteria to apply:
- Be a registered non-profit, business, or social enterprise in Africa.
- Be using technology to create social change in their communities.
- Have a project that is already in operation or ready to be implemented.
To apply, visit: Changemakers Innovation Challenge Application
The Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation invites applicants to the Changemakers Innovation Challenge, which recognizes and rewards innovative social impact projects that use technology. The Challenge is open to African organizations (non-profits, businesses, and social enterprises) working to address a social or environmental challenge.
Winners of the Challenge will receive the following benefits:
- A cash prize of $10,000 to support their project.
- Access to a network of mentors and experts who can help them to develop and grow their projects.
- Exposure to potential funders and partners.
Interested participants must meet the following criteria to apply:
- Be a registered non-profit, business, or social enterprise in Africa.
- Be using technology to create social change in their communities.
- Have a project that is already in operation or ready to be implemented.
To apply, visit: Changemakers Innovation Challenge Application
Are you an early-stage startup using Amazon Web Services (AWS ) with an innovative financial solution? Apply for the Global Fintech Accelerator program before 14 August 2023.
Are you an early-stage startup using Amazon Web Services (AWS ) with an innovative financial solution? Apply for the Global Fintech Accelerator program before 14 August 2023.
Amazon Web Services (AWS), a subsidiary of Amazon that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms, invites applicants for the Global Fintech Accelerator program. The 6-week equity-free program helps early-stage startups use AWS to accelerate their businesses growth and success. The program is designed to provide startups with the resources, mentorship and support they need to build and launch innovative financial solutions. The program provides startups access to the following:
- Technical mentorship from AWS experts on cloud computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence topics.
- Business mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs and investors in business strategy, fundraising, and go-to-market plans.
- AWS resources including global infrastructure and services, as well as a variety of tools and resources to help build and launch products.
Successful applicants will benefit from the following:
- Increased visibility and exposure: The program allows startups to showcase their products and services to a global audience of investors, partners, and customers.
- Accelerated growth: The program helps startups to accelerate their growth by providing them with the resources, mentorship, and support they need to build and launch successful products.
- Increased funding opportunities: The program can help startups to increase their chances of securing funding from investors.
Interested participants must meet the following criteria to apply:
- Be early-stage fintech startups that are using AWS to build their businesses.
- Have a product or service that is in the development or early-stage launch phase.
- Be located in one of the following regions: North America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, or Latin America.
To apply for the program, visit: Applications
Funding opportunity for an early-stage start-up: Apply for the ARM Labs Lagos Accelerator program before 9 August 2023
Funding opportunity for an early-stage start-up: Apply for the ARM Labs Lagos Accelerator program before 9 August 2023
Techstars, a global investment company, invites applicants for the ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator program. The three-month, in-person program provides early-stage startups in Africa access to capital, mentorship, and connections. The program is focused on FinTech, Mobility, E-commerce, and TalentTech startups.
Successful applicants to the program will receive the following benefits:
- Access to capital: The program provides startups with $100,000 in seed funding. This funding can be used to grow the business, hire new employees, or develop new products or services.
- Access to mentorship: The program provides startups access to a global network of mentors. These mentors can provide advice and guidance on various topics, including business strategy, marketing, and fundraising.
- Programming and workshops: The program provides startups with programming and workshops on a variety of topics. This programming can help startups to improve their business operations, develop new products or services, and grow their businesses.
- Investor introductions: The program provides startups with introductions to investors. These investors may be interested in investing in the startup’s business.
Interested participants should meet the following criteria to apply:
- Be based in Africa
- Be in the early stages of development
- Have a team of at least two founders
- Be focused on FinTech, Mobility, E-commerce, or TalentTech
To apply for the program, visit: Program applications
Are you an entrepreneur in the Agri-food sector interested in scaling up your business? Apply for the GoGettaz Competition by 19 June 2023
Are you an entrepreneur in the Agri-food sector interested in scaling up your business? Apply for the GoGettaz Competition by 19 June 2023
Generation Africa, a partnership initiative aimed at strengthening the ecosystem for young entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector, invites applicants for the GoGetttaz Agripreneur Competition. This year’s edition will focus on supporting entrepreneurs whose ventures battle climate change, hunger, and poverty. Interested applicants must join the GoGettaz community before applying. Through the GoGettaz community, they will gain access to education, mentorship, and investment networks to help them launch, grow and scale their agri-food ventures. Additionally, two successful participants (one female and one male) will win USD 50,000 for the most innovative and scalable business ventures.
Interested entrepreneurs must fulfill the following criteria to apply:
- Be aged 35 years or younger on the date of submission and be legally recognized as an adult in the country of their nationality
- Have nationality (with an official ID) from an African Union member country
- Be a founder/co-founder of the venture he/she represents in the Competition and play an active role in its leadership and operations
- Have no criminal record related to corruption, tax evasion, financial impropriety, felony, or other offense and be willing to offer a signed declaration to that effect, if requested
Additionally, the business venture must also fulfill the following criteria to be considered for the Competition:
- Be legally registered in a country that is a member of the African Union or will have commenced with the registration of such a legal entity before 1 July 2022
- Be headquartered in a country that is a member of the African Union
- Be designed to be financially sustainable, either as a for-profit business or a non-profit generating some revenue and aiming not to be dependent on donor funding
- Have a role to play in the agri-food sector and/or supports the development of the agri-food sector through an innovation or process improvement
- The agri-food sector may be defined as businesses including:
- Agri-food research & development
- Primary food production (farming)
- Crop nutrition
- Irrigation
- Mechanization, automation, or robotics, including drones
- Crop protection
- Hydroponics or urban farming
- Transport, distribution, storage, or logistics
- Food processing
- Packaging or marketing
- Food retail or service
- Waste management or recycling
- Digital or technology solutions/services to the agri-food sector
- Innovative finance solutions/services to the agri-food sector
- Renewable energy or environmental solutions/services to the agri-food sector
To apply for this Competition, visit: GoGettaz Competition Application
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 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 woman entrepreneur in need of funding and mentorship for your business? Apply for the Enhancing Women Entrepreneurship for Africa program before 31 December 2022
Are you a woman entrepreneur in need of funding and mentorship for your business? Apply for the Enhancing Women Entrepreneurship for Africa program before 31 December 2022
Seedstars, a Swiss-based global organization in partnership with the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) and Growth Africa invite business development service providers and women entrepreneurs to apply for the Enhancing Women in Entrepreneurship for Africa program. The program aims two enhance women’s business skills via a two-pronged approach – increasing the capacity and sustainability of providers supporting women-led SMEs and increasing access to mentorship, funding, and visibility for women-led SMEs.
Interested business development service providers should:
- Be based in one of the following countries (Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Cape Verde, Zambia, DRC, Cameroon, Mali, Zimbabwe, Bostwana)
- Enhance the viability and sustainability of women-led SMEs
- Provide innovative approaches to ecosystem support designed to close the financing gap for women-led SMEs
- Introduce innovative ways to provide capacity building for women-led SMEs
- Provide digital presence and visibility to women-led SMEs
- Provide access to mentorship for women-led SMEs
Interested women-led SMES should:
- Be between seed and growth stage
- Be based in one of the above countries
- Have at least one woman on the founding team
- Have a digital element in their product (for example: Mobile application, Online Shop, SAAS product, etc.)
To apply for the program, visit: Applications
Are you a FoodTech or AgTech company in need of funding? Apply for the Growth Impact Accelerator program before 30 January 2023
Are you a FoodTech or AgTech company in need of funding? Apply for the Growth Impact Accelerator program before 30 January 2023
GROW, a global agriculture and food technology accelerator, invite applicants for 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 entrepreneur in need of investment-readiness training? Apply for the Investment Preparation Program
Are you an entrepreneur in need of investment-readiness training? Apply for the Investment Preparation Program
Mooto Holdings Limited, an investment and business advisory firm invites applicants for the Investment Preparation Program, an SME mentorship program. The program seeks to identify and support high-potential SMEs to become ready for investment. The program will be conducted in two phases, each detailed below:
Phase 1 – Business Development: In the first phase of the program, participants will receive a series of online classes covering the aspects of business development including business planning, business profiling, digital marketing, and financial accounting. At the end of each session, participants will be tasked to complete templates of business plan and profile to be used to formulate their business.
Phase 2- Fundraising: During this phase, Mooto Holdings Ltd will identify funding opportunities that participants and also support them in acquiring the identified funds. This will be conducted on a continuous basis until the participants decide to they no longer need the support of Mooto Holdings Ltd
Interested participants must fulfill the following to qualify:
- Must be a resident and the business must be registered in any of our target countries (Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda)
- Have a business that is fully registered
- Have a business that demonstrates the capacity to generate revenue through paying customers
- Have a good internet connection because the program will be undertaken remotely with regular virtual communications.
- Have access to an electronic device that connects to the internet, this can be a smart phone, laptop, desktop, or tablet for as long as the participant will be able to access the internet.
- Be proficient in speaking, listening, and writing English proficiency
To apply, visit: IPP Applications