Deadline: January 31, 2026

Applications are open for the African Impact Challenge 2026. The African Impact Challenge empowers daring early innovators solving African challenges with global potential, supporting them in building market-shaping, globally competitive businesses.

The program has trained over 7,000 founders and funded more than 100 businesses across 46 different countries including Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania, Egypt, Morocco, Uganda, Ethiopia, Cameroon, and Nigeria. They have also supported businesses through the Pan-African Health Entrepreneurship (HENT), which supports health tech ventures from any country in Africa, and Country Innovation (CI), which support ventures from a specific African country each year across any industry, this year being Nigeria.

Benefits

  • Capacity Building: Virtual & Self-Paced Venture Support Bootcamp
  • Track-based Venture Funding: Through Investments or Grants
  • Track-based programming: To Reach Your Next Milestone
  • Funded International Market Exposure: Flights and accommodations covered
  • Pot-program Investor Support: To Access Additional Capital & Scale Further
  • Market Access & Partnerships: To Acquire Customers & Go-To-Market Partners

Eligibility

  • Open to young Africans under 39 living in Africa.
  • Have a desire to pursue impact-focused entrepreneurship as a means of livelihood.
  • Have a desire to solve critical problems with technology.
  • Full time commitment from the team building the venture.

Stream Based Criteria

  • Country Innovation Stream: Scalable ventures based in the country of focus from any sector, this year being Nigeria.
  • Health Entrepreneurship Stream: Pan-African ventures enabling health outcomes, anywhere in Africa.

Selection Criteria

  • You should be solving a pressing problem/challenge in your country.
  • Your solution should be technology enabled in its creation and/or use.
  • Preference will be given to solutions that target non-consumption, by increasing adoption, accessibility and affordability.
  • Preference will be given to innovative business models that are scalable.

Application

For more information, visit African Impact Challenge.

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