As we bid farewell to 2024 and step into the New Year, the entrepreneurial landscape is brimming with exciting opportunities for innovators and change-makers ready to take their ideas to the next level.
We bring you a curated selection of opportunities, all designed to empower entrepreneurs and visionaries to turn their dreams into impactful realities. From accelerator programs and fellowships to boot camps and funding, this is your chance to propel your startup or career to new heights.
Are you ready to fast-track your startup’s growth in 2025? The Accelerate Africa Program invites applications for its 3rd Cohort.
Accelerate Africa is a pre-seed/seed stage accelerator program designed to empower startups with the resources, networks, and mentorship needed to scale rapidly and achieve $1M in revenue within 18 months of program completion.
Key features of founders they support:
- Passionate about solving a real problem and have the track record or traction to prove it.
- Deep understanding of their customers and consider it their life’s work to serve them.
- Lived experience of the problem, driving them to build a business that seems impossible until it’s done.
Application Deadline: January 7.
TechWomen Emerging Leaders Program 2025 [Deadline: January 7]
The TechWomen Emerging Leaders Program, an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is now accepting applications for 2025. The program empowers women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) to advance their careers, foster mutual understanding, and inspire future generations of women and girls.
Applicants must:
- Have at minimum, two years of full-time professional experience in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) fields at the time of application.
- Have, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree/four-year university degree or equivalent. (note: Internships and other unpaid work experience do not count toward the two-year professional experience requirement)
- Be proficient in written and spoken English.
- African Countries Eligible: Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Zimbabwe.
Application Deadline: January 7, 2025.
Timbuktoo ManuTech Hub Bootcamp. [Deadline: January 8]
Are you an aspiring startup in the manufacturing technology sector looking to grow your business across the continent? Here’s your chance to accelerate your startup with the Timbuktoo ManuTech Hub Bootcamp, hosted by the United Nations Development Programme and timbuktoo Africa Innovation Foundation.
The ManuTech Hub will host a hybrid boot camp and acceleration program in early 2025, both in person in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. and virtually.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Startup founders aged 18–35 from African countries.
- Locally owned startups leveraging technology in manufacturing.
- Minimum viable product ready for development.
- Scalable, innovative solutions with disruptive potential.
Application Deadline: January 8, 2025
beVisioneers – The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship 2025 [Deadline: January 12]
Are you a young eco-entrepreneur passionate about creating a sustainable future? The beVisioneers: Mercedes-Benz Fellowship is now accepting applications for its 2025 cohort! This fully-funded, multi-year fellowship empowers 1,000 young innovators from around the world with the skills, resources, and networks to implement impactful environmental projects.
Fellowship Overview
The program begins with an intensive 12-month journey that includes:
- Award-winning Innovation Training: Online modules to help refine your eco-innovation idea.
- Community-Based Local Hubs: Engage with peers and experts in your area.
- Regional Summits: Gain global perspectives and networking opportunities.
- Venture Coaching & Mentorship: Regular guidance to help you achieve your project goals.
- Project Scholarships: Financial support to advance your project’s development.
In Years 2 and 3, fellows receive tailored support based on project progress, including access to the Pioneer Launchpad, leadership development opportunities, and further scholarships for eligible projects.
To qualify for the fellowship, applicants must:
- Be between 16 and 28 years old (born between January 13, 1996, and October 14, 2008).
- Have identified a specific environmental problem and a concrete idea for action.
- Reside in one of the following African countries:
- Kenya
- Rwanda
- South Africa
- Tanzania
- Uganda
- Zimbabwe
- Possess a strong command of English, as all materials and interactions are conducted in English.
Benefits
- Fully funded access to the fellowship program.
- Resources and mentorship to bring your eco-innovation to life.
- Opportunities for global networking with like-minded changemakers.
Application Deadline: January 12, 2025
Innovations Against Poverty (IAP) Challenge Fund [Deadline: January 15]
The IAP Challenge Fund offers matching grants ranging from €50,000 to €200,000 to businesses ready to scale their inclusive innovations.
To be eligible for an IAP matching grant:
- Your business must be offering a product, service, or business model (or business line) innovation that directly benefits the base of the economic pyramid.
- Your business must operate in Cambodia, Ethiopia, Uganda, or Zambia.
Application Deadline: January 15.
2025 HealthTech Hub Africa Accelerator Program [Deadline: January 17]
The HealthTech Hub Africa Accelerator Program is now accepting applications for its 2025 cohort.
This transformative program is designed to help healthtech startups validate their solutions, accelerate growth, and establish meaningful connections with key partners and stakeholders in the healthtech sector and public health systems.
They are looking for ventures across Africa that:
- Offer innovative solutions in hardware, software, data analytics, AI, biotech, and more.
- Have business models that foster collaboration with local and national governments.
- Aim to address health challenges or support the digital transformation of public health systems.
Participation in this 8-month accelerator program provides:
- Access to office and meeting space at Norrsken House, Kigali.
- Exclusive funding opportunities throughout the program and alumni network.
- Expert mentorship in population health, technology, and investment readiness.
- Opportunities to pitch at the annual HealthTech Hub Africa Investor Summit.
- Networking with HealthTech Hub Africa’s partner network, including funding opportunities, awards, and research collaborations.
Application Deadline: January 17.
Call for Proposals: The Choova Njinga Innovation Challenge [Deadline: January 21]
The Choova Njinga Innovation Challenge, an initiative by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is inviting proposals for innovative, scalable bicycle-based solutions aimed at transforming transportation and livelihoods in rural Malawi and Zambia.
This challenge seeks cost-effective bicycle solutions that enhance transportation and livelihoods in rural areas, especially for low-income households and women. Solutions should aim to create tangible social and economic benefits in Malawi and/or Zambia.
Total Prize Pool: USD$2,200,000.
Submit your proposal by January 21, 2025.
European University Institute’s Policy Leader Fellowship [Deadline: January 24]
The European University Institute is now accepting applications for the Policy Leader Fellowship at the School of Transnational Governance.
This residential fellowship program is designed for mid-career policy professionals from diverse fields, including politics, civil service, media, non-governmental organisations, and more.
Fellows will spend 5-10 months developing policy recommendations and practical solutions for pressing issues of transnational relevance inspired and informed by their work experience.
This program is open to individuals with a strong track record in policy work, who are passionate about contributing to global policy discussions and solutions.
📅 Application Deadline: January 24, 2025
World Bank Group Youth Summit 2025 Pitch Competition [Deadline: Jan. 26]
The World Bank Group Youth Summit 2025 Pitch Competition is now accepting applications. This exciting opportunity is open to young change-makers aged 18-35, providing a platform to showcase innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
The 12th edition of the Youth Summit will center on climate action, digital transformation, and the creative industries, emphasizing the transformative potential of youth-driven solutions.
Finalists will be invited to present their groundbreaking ideas at the World Bank Group Headquarters in Washington, D.C., May 19-20, 2025.
Application Deadline: January 26.
Training for Youth on Climate Adaptation and Leadership [Deadline: Jan. 26]
The Centre for Green Growth invites applications for the 3rd Cohort of its flagship program, the Training for Youth on Climate Adaptation and Leadership.
This in-person training is designed to empower young leaders across Africa with the knowledge and skills needed to drive effective climate action and foster sustainable development.
The in-person training will be held in Accra, Ghana in February, 2025. Slots are available for 30 participants. The participant with the best mini adaptation project idea will receive seed funding of $500 to implement the mini project idea.
Eligibility Criteria:
To be eligible for the training, applicants must be:
- Aged 18-35.
- Passionate about climate action and sustainability.
- Dedicated to building expertise in climate adaptation.
- Committed to making a positive impact in your community.
Application Deadline: January 25, 2025
Resilient Agriculture Innovations for Nature (RAIN) Phase III [Deadline: January 31]
Applications for Resilient Agriculture Innovations for Nature (RAIN) Phase III are now open!
The RAIN Challenge, an initiative by Global Resilience Partnership, Shockwave Foundation, and Munich Re Foundation, is open to not-for-profit organisations across public, local civil society, international NGOs and academia, as well as for-profit organisations, farmers, and entrepreneurs in East Africa (Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda).
They are looking for nature-positive agricultural solutions that build resilience, protect biodiversity, and drive investment in ecosystems.
Benefits:
- Tailored mentoring and communications support.
- Invitation to an investor forum and pitching session.
- Access to a leadership academy.
- A cash prize of up to $50,000 USD.
Application Deadline: January 31.
Mastercard Foundation Edtech Fellowship [Deadline: January 31]
The call for applications for the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship (Cohort III) is currently open!
The fellowship, an initiative by Co-creation HUB (CcHUB) in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, is looking for Africa-focused startups incorporated in Nigeria, which are leveraging technology to address any learning challenge across K-12, formal or informal skills.
Application Deadline: January 31, 2025.
