Welcome to this week’s edition of the Funding and Grant Opportunities series. This issue features several funding and developmental opportunities from across Africa, including seed funding, accelerator programs, grant opportunities, and contests.
Y Combinator Winter 2024 funding cycle ( Up to $500,000)
Applications are open for Y Combinator’s Winter 2024 funding cycle which commences January 2024. The initial application period closed in October, but it has since been extended till the batch begins in January.
Interested startups are to submit their applications online. Applicants with promising proposals will be selected and invited for an interview with the YC team. Most interviews will be virtual and will be conducted between October and December.
Benefits: Selected companies will receive equity funding from Y Combinator upon acceptance. In addition, the company will receive access to YC’s network, resources and mentorship after completing a 3-day retreat in San-Francisco.
Application Deadline January 2024
Apply to Y Combinator’s Winter 2024 funding cycle
Deji Alli Young Talent Award for Young Nigerians
The Deji Alli Young Talent initiative is taking applications for the 2024 edition of its young talent awards. DAATYA is an ARM initiative that partners with TechnoVision’s TVC labs to provide young Nigerians with opportunities to develop their innovative ideas into profitable start-up ventures in Nigeria.
The initiative is primarily intended at creating positive societal impact by supporting budding innovators.
To be eligible, applicants must be Nigerian citizens aged between 18 and 35 with an original solution. They must be operating a limited liability company duly registered in Nigeria running full-time and has a minimum viable product.
Benefits: The winner will receive a financial reward of N12,000,000. In addition, they’ll win the right to participate in an entrepreneurial education program and 5 months acceleration support services.
Application Deadline January 16th, 2024
Apply to the DAATYA 2024 edition here
Foodtech Innovation Awards 2024
The Foodtech Awards celebrates innovative solutions that are disrupting customer experience and management in the food sector. It recognizes companies that are driving positive change in food accessibility.
The Foodtech awards is open to startups, companies, vendors and other ventures that are creating solutions in the food sector in the following areas.
- Food service digitization
- Sustainability
- Automation and robotic solutions tailored to the food chain
- Innovation project for food packaging and others
Benefits: The winners will receive an award trophy in addition to access to participate in networking events, Expo Foodtech Area and conferences of the Food 4 Future World Summit.
Application Deadline March 15th, 2024
Apply to the Foodtech Innovation Awards Here
Nomfro Technologies Entrepreneurship Empowerment Project (NTEEP)
NTEEP has unveiled the application portal for the fourth edition of its initiative aimed at providing startups with access to community, educational resources, tools and mentoring support to scale their operations towards success.
Since its first edition in 2020, NTEEP has trained and empowered over 600 startups across Africa. It’s supportive community has grown into an enabling environment for startups to thrive and scale up their solutions.
Benefits: Selected startups will get access to several training modules, digital tools and mentoring.
Application Deadline March 14th, 2024
NextechCzar Incubation Program for startups in Nigeria
The NextechCzar incubation program is open for applications to innovative startups in Nigeria. The initiative was created by Moolu Venture Lab and partners to nurture and finance innovative solutions deemed capable of stimulating economic growth and generating employment opportunities in the country.
The initiative aims to promote and enable creativity within the digital sector, supporting new solutions that are affordable, scalable and driving transformative changes.
To be eligible, applicants must be technology-enabled businesses in key sectors such as agriculture, financial services, education, health care, ecommerce, emobility, renewables, energy and climate.
Benefits: Participating startups will receive equity funding, mentoring, market access and community membership with industry leaders.
Application Deadline January 6th, 2024
