This week, we have meticulously curated a list of incredible opportunities tailor-made for African startup founders seeking funding to scale their businesses. Each program on our list presents a unique set of benefits that could significantly propel your company’s growth. From equity investments and cash prizes to valuable mentorship and technical support, these opportunities are not to be missed!
Climate Investment Funds Youth Fellowship
The CIF Youth Fellowship is a unique professional capacity-building program focused on providing hands-on experience to the next generation of young leaders in global climate action. It is based on CIF-financed projects and will be implemented in partnership with our six Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) partners: the African Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the InterAmerican Development Bank, the World Bank, and the International Finance Corporation. It provides Fellows with the opportunity to work on initiatives in areas related to nature-based solutions, clean energy, adaptation and climate resilience, energy access, and gender and social inclusion.
Benefits: Specialized training, professional development sessions, mentorship, office space, stipend tailored to the cost of living in Fellowship countries.
Application deadline: July 7, 2023
Learn more about the CIF Youth Fellowship here.
DBN Entrepreneurship Training Programme
The annual DBN Entrepreneurship Training Programme (DBNETP) is the flagship programme of the Development Bank of Nigeria and is currently in its 5th Cycle. Capacity building is a core mandate of the Development Bank of Nigeria, and so far, the Bank has trained over 2000 MSMEs across Nigeria digitally and physically, leveraging partnerships and the DBN Learning Management System (LMS).
Benefits: Up to ₦500,000 in grant funding, access to the DBN learning management platform, 5-day intense physical training, pitching session.
Application deadline: July 9, 2023
Register for the training programme here.
Kickstart Entrepreneurship Program
The International Breweries Foundation is an arm of International Breweries Plc, (a proud part of the AB InBev Group) with the objective of delivering impactful, developmental, and sustainable projects.
Kickstart is an initiative of the Foundation and focuses on enterprise growth and development for young entrepreneurs. The programme supports youth-owned businesses through the provision of training, access to capital (grants) and mentoring.
Benefits: Training, access to capital, and mentoring.
Application deadline: July 24, 2023
Apply for the Kickstart program.
Womenpreneur Pitch-a-ton
Launched in 2019, the Womenpreneur Pitch-a-ton program is the first women-in-business support initiative of its kind in the industry offered by Access Bank’s W Initiative. The program in its maiden edition provided a free mini-MBA certification for 50 women entrepreneurs in Nigeria as well as financial grants worth ₦9 million to the top 3 applicants.
The program has since provided Mini-MBA to over 300 women entrepreneurs across Africa. This year hosts the 5th season of the program and seeks to provide mini-MBA certification to another 120 women entrepreneurs in Nigeria as well as grants worth over ₦17 million to WSMEs.
Benefits: Up to ₦17 million in financial grants, IFC certified mini-MBA, capacity building program and business coaching.
Application deadline: August 11, 2023
Apply for the Womenpreneur Pitchaton.
AWS Global Fintech Accelerator
The AWS Global Fintech Accelerator is a 6-week equity-free online program that leverages the best of AWS’s infrastructure and partner network to empower seed-stage AI-driven Fintech startups operating across NAMER, EMEA, and LATAM and developing their projects in the following categories:
- Embedded & Open Finance
- AI/ML & Big Data
- Fintech-as-a-Service
- Financial Inclusion & Sustainability
- Other
Benefits: Up to $100k in AWS Activate Credits, partner offers & special discounts, cloud support, 1:1 mentoring sessions, fundraising support, marketing & PR, pitching session, ecosystem engagement, alumni community.
Application deadline: August 14, 2023
Apply for the AWS fintech accelerator here.
Do not forget to go through our previous posts for more opportunities to help your startup thrive.
