Deadline: April 4, 2026
Applications are open for the IGNITE Challenge 4.0. This initiative is part of the five-year partnership between World Food Programme and Mastercard Foundation which supports young women and men in building sustainable livelihoods in agriculture and agribusiness.
Ignite 4.0 supports scalable, innovative ventures within Rwanda’s agrifood value chains, with a strong focus on creating and improving jobs, especially for young women. By combining targeted grants, tailored technical assistance, market linkages and visibility, the challenge will accelerate up to six growth-stage high-impact ventures to tackle key gaps such as increased production, enhanced post-harvest processes, access to finance opportunities, and access to markets.
Benefits
- Funding: Up to $24,000 in equity-free funding per venture
- Acceleration support: 5 months of curated technical support, coaching and masterclasses to strengthen skills and business gaps.
- Investment readiness + Demo Day: Structured investment and pitch preparation and exposure to the ecosystem through a Demo Day platform.
- Market linkages + visibility: Connections to investors and key stakeholders, access to community events and collaboration opportunities with Farmer Service Centres (FSCs).
Eligibility
All applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Business registration: Valid registration/certificate of incorporation and at least 2 years of operation in Rwanda
- Have proof of a revenue-generating business with proven market traction
- Be a team of at least three full-time members dedicated to the startup/SME/cooperative, including the founding team
- At least 50% of the founding and/or senior management team must be from Rwanda/East Africa
- The entity has to have existing key operations in Rwanda
- Be committed to support, provide mentorship and share learnings with peers and Farmer Service Centers (FSCs) participating in the program.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications to the IGNITE Challenge 4.0 will be assessed based on the following criteria:
- Innovation: The solution addresses a food systems challenge in a clear and innovative way
- Impact: The venture contributes to stronger food systems and job creation, particularly for young women
- Financial sustainability: The venture has a viable business model and clear potential for long-term sustainability
- Scalability: The solution shows strong potential for growth and expansion
- Team: The team brings relevant experience and the capacity to grow the venture
Application
For more information, visit IGNITE Challenge.
