Entrepreneurs Catalyst Hub

05/10/2026

🎓 Up to CAD 15,000 for African Students & Recent Graduates Building Startups — Mastercard Foundation Fellowship
Applications are open for the Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship, an 8-month virtual programme delivered by Queen's University’s Dunin-Deshpande Innovation Centre.
The Fellowship supports African students and recent graduates from any academic discipline to develop entrepreneurial ideas and build early-stage ventures.

💰 What This Offers
✔ Opportunity to pitch for prizes of up to CAD 15,000
✔ Financial stipends for selected Fellows
✔ Entrepreneurship training based on MIT’s Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework
✔ One-on-one coaching and mentorship
✔ Business modelling, customer discovery and pitch support
✔ Access to Queen’s University’s entrepreneurial network
✔ Opportunity to earn entrepreneurship micro-credentials

🌍 Who Should Apply?
The programme is open to:
✔ Students currently studying at post-secondary institutions in Africa
✔ Recent graduates from African institutions
✔ Applicants from any academic discipline
✔ Aspiring entrepreneurs with an idea as well as those already developing an early-stage venture
The programme is virtual, allowing participants to join from across Africa.

🚀 Programme Journey
Participants progress through three stages:
Explore → Ignite → Launch & Fellowship
The programme helps participants move from identifying a problem and validating an idea to developing a business model, testing with customers and building a scalable venture.

⏰ Application Deadline
📅 1 December 2026
📩 Learn More & Apply
👉 https://queensu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2skpzGTY6MedJJk
📢 Know an African student or recent graduate with a promising business idea? Share this opportunity.

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Applications are now open for the Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship for the 2027 cohorts. Apply through this application form by December 1, 2026.

05/10/2026

💰 $10,000 Equity-Free Support for Agriculture & Food Security Ventures in Sub-Saharan Africa — Halcyon 2027

Applications are open for Halcyon’s 2027 Africa Innovation in Agriculture and Food Security Program, supporting impact-driven ventures across Sub-Saharan Africa using innovative, market-based solutions to strengthen agriculture and food systems.

💰 What Selected Founders Receive

✔ $10,000 equity-free stipend
✔ Workshops and expert training in leadership, product-market fit and capital strategy
✔ AWS credits
✔ Access to Halcyon’s network of investors and other stakeholders
✔ Two week-long residencies in Nairobi, Kenya and Accra, Ghana, with accommodation included

🌱 Who Should Apply?

The programme is designed for founders across Sub-Saharan Africa building innovative, market-based ventures that improve how food is produced, distributed, accessed or sustained across the region.

This is particularly relevant for ventures working across agriculture, AgTech, food systems, food security and related climate solutions.

⏰ Deadline

📅 Friday, October 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET

📩 Learn More & Apply

Apply directly:
👉 https://halcyon.acceleratorapp.co/apply/program/halcyon-open-application

📢 Know an African founder building an innovative solution for agriculture or food security? Share this opportunity with them.

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Erna Redzepagic

05/10/2026

💰 $500,000 Grants for Nonprofits Preparing Low-Income Youth for AI — Citi Foundation Global Innovation Challenge

The Citi Foundation has launched its Fourth Global Innovation Challenge, committing $25 million to 50 nonprofit organizations worldwide developing innovative solutions that prepare low-income youth for employment in an increasingly AI-driven economy.

Each selected organization will receive a $500,000 grant over 24 months.

⏰ Deadline
📅 October 6, 2026 at 12:00 PM New York Time (ET)

🎯 What They Are Looking For
The Challenge is seeking innovative programs focused primarily on low-income youth aged 15–24, including solutions that:
✔ Build AI and digital skills such as AI fundamentals, prompt engineering, digital content creation and use of AI-enabled tools
✔ Develop essential human-centric skills including critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, resilience and adaptability
✔ Expand digital access, including shared devices, community technology hubs, open-source AI and low-connectivity/offline tools
✔ Integrate AI tools and training into existing youth employability programmes
✔ Build partnerships between nonprofits, education institutions, technology companies and businesses

💰 Funding
Citi Foundation plans to award:
50 organizations × $500,000 each = $25 million
The grants are expected to run for 24 months, with:
➡️ $250,000 in 2027
➡️ $250,000 in 2028
Funding can support eligible program expenses including staff, technology, training, program materials, research, evaluation, communications, events and overhead.

🌍 African Countries Eligible
The eligible African geographies include:
🇩🇿 Algeria | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire | 🇨🇩 DRC | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 🇬🇦 Gabon | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 🇿🇲 Zambia

The programme is also open in selected countries across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America & the Caribbean, and North America.

🧠 Who Can Apply?
Applicants must be registered nonprofit organizations under applicable local law and must demonstrate a specific focus on serving low-income individuals.

📩 Learn More & Apply
https://www.citigroup.com/global/foundation/apply-for-funding

📢 Know a nonprofit helping young people develop the skills they need for an AI-driven future? Share this opportunity.

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Citi, the leading global bank, serves more than 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Learn more today.

05/10/2026

💰 $10,000 Grants + Additional Prizes Up to $150,000 — MIT Solve 2027 Global Challenges

Applications are now open for the MIT Solve 2027 Global Challenges, seeking technology-driven solutions from innovators around the world addressing some of the most pressing social and environmental challenges.

Every team selected as a Solver receives a $10,000 grant, with selected solutions also eligible for additional prizes of up to $150,000.

🌍 2027 Global Challenges

🌱 Global Climate Challenge — climate adaptation, resilient cities, food systems, oceans and decarbonization.

💰 Global Economic Prosperity Challenge — financial resilience, quality employment, economic opportunity and affordable housing.

❤️ Global Health Challenge — technology that makes good health and quality healthcare more equitable.

🎓 Global Learning Challenge — solutions that close education gaps and improve learning outcomes.

MIT Solve seeks tech-based solutions from innovators globally; its challenge platform has received 30,000+ solutions from 190+ countries.

💰 Funding & Prizes
✔ $10,000 grant for every selected Solver team
✔ Up to $150,000 — AI for Humanity Prize
✔ $150,000 — Climate-Positive & Equitable Food Systems Prize
✔ $100,000 — E Ink Innovation Prize
✔ Up to $100,000 — Ocean Innovation Prize

✔ Additional challenge-specific prizes and support opportunities

⏰ Application Deadline

📅 November 2, 2026 at 12:00 PM EST

📩 Explore the Challenges & Apply

https://solve.mit.edu/challenges

📢 Know an entrepreneur or innovator using technology to solve a major social or environmental challenge? Share this opportunity.

📬 If you'd like to receive funding and fellowship opportunities like this, subscribe here:
👉 https://www.entrepreneurscatalysthub.com⁠
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Explore MIT Solve's innovation challenges tackling global issues. Win funding and support to scale your solution and create lasting change.

05/10/2026

💰 £150,000 Catalytic Funding for High-Impact Social Ventures Worldwide — 100x Impact 2027/28

Applications are now open for the 100x Impact Accelerator 2027/28 cohort, based at the The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

100x is looking for ambitious for-profit and nonprofit social ventures with proven solutions and the potential to dramatically scale their impact.

💰 What Selected Ventures Receive

✔ £150,000 in flexible catalytic funding
✔ An intensive 16-week accelerator programme
✔ Access to LSE research and expertise
✔ Coaching, mentorship and leadership support
✔ Connections to funders, advisers and potential partners
✔ Potential access to further catalytic investment after the programme

🌍 Who Should Apply?

The programme is open worldwide to both nonprofit and for-profit ventures addressing challenges including:

🌱 Climate & Environment
❤️ Health
🎓 Education
💰 Financial Inclusion & Equitable Economies
🤝 Social & Community Challenges
🏛️ Democracy

100x particularly looks for ventures with strong traction, proven impact and a credible pathway to scale. Its published eligibility indicators include reaching at least 50,000 direct users or 500,000 people indirectly, having 4+ full-time paid employees, and having raised at least $250,000 from any source.

🌍 Emerging-market ventures are strongly encouraged — 100x aims for around 70% of its portfolio to come from emerging markets.

⏰ Deadline

📅 2 November 2026

📩 Learn More & Apply

👉 100x Impact Accelerator — Apply Here] https://www.100ximpact.org/how-to-apply

📢 Know a high-impact organisation with a proven model ready for significant scale? Share this opportunity.

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https://www.entrepreneurscatalysthub.com

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https://www.entrepreneurscatalysthub.com

100x is looking for the next generation of social unicorns - organisations affecting positive change on the scale of billions.

05/10/2026

💰 $500,000 Investment for Startups Worldwide — Y Combinator Winter 2027
Applications are open for the Y Combinator Winter 2027 Batch, one of the world’s best-known startup accelerator programmes.
YC is open to startups from anywhere in the world, and every company accepted into the programme receives a $500,000 investment. Y Combinator

💰 The Investment
YC invests $500,000 through two SAFEs:
✔ $125,000 for 7% equity
✔ $375,000 on an uncapped MFN SAFE
The investment process begins as soon as a startup is accepted—you don't have to wait for the programme to begin. Y Combinator

🎯 What Selected Startups Receive
✔ $500,000 investment
✔ 3-month intensive startup programme
✔ Dedicated YC Group Partner and weekly support
✔ Access to YC's global founder and alumni community
✔ $12M+ in partner credits and deals
✔ Introductions to YC's extensive investor network
✔ Continued support beyond the programme Y Combinator

🌍 Who Can Apply?
YC accepts applications from startups anywhere in the world. The Winter 2027 batch will run January–March 2027 in San Francisco and will be conducted in person. Y Combinator
⏰ Application Deadline
📅 2 November 2026 at 8:00 PM PT
Applications submitted after the deadline may still be considered, but YC does not guarantee when late applicants will receive a decision. Y Combinator

📩 Learn More & Apply
👉 https://www.ycombinator.com/apply

📢 Know a founder building an ambitious startup with the potential to scale globally? Share this opportunity.
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To apply for the Y Combinator program, submit an application form. We accept companies in batches four times a year. The program includes weekly dinners, office hours with YC partners and access to the network of other YC founders. The program culminates in Demo Day, where startups pitch to a carefu...

05/10/2026

🌍 Funding, Partnerships & Market Access for African Startups & SMEs — Africa-Europe Innovation Platform

The Africa-Europe Innovation Platform (AEIP) connects African startups, SMEs and innovators with funding opportunities, investors, partners and market opportunities across Africa and Europe.
Rather than offering one fixed funding amount, the platform brings together multiple funding calls and programmes, each with its own funding size, eligibility and deadline.

🚀 What You Can Access
✔ Funding and investment opportunities
✔ Investor and partner matchmaking
✔ Accelerator and capacity-building programmes
✔ International market access opportunities
✔ Collaboration with businesses and innovation organisations across Africa and Europe

🎯 Who Should Explore?
Startups | SMEs | Entrepreneurs | Innovators | Business Support Organisations | Investors | Researchers
📩 Explore Current Opportunities
👉 https://www.africaeuropeinnovation.net/
📢 Share with an African founder looking for funding, partnerships or international market opportunities.
📬 If you'd like to receive funding and fellowship opportunities like this, subscribe here:
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👉 https://www.entrepreneurscatalysthub.com

The AEIP creates a “network of networks”, aligning with the priorities of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda to strengthen cooperation and maximise the impact of innovation initiatives.

05/10/2026

🌍 $250,000+ Technical Support for Innovative Climate Finance Vehicles Mobilizing Private Capital in Africa & Emerging Markets

The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance (The Lab) has opened its 2027 Call for Ideas, seeking innovative financial vehicles capable of mobilizing private investment for climate mitigation and adaptation in emerging markets.

This is not a conventional grant or startup accelerator. The Lab is looking for new investment structures and financing mechanisms that can unlock capital for climate solutions at scale.

💰 What Selected Teams Receive

Selected proponents receive a support package valued at more than USD 250,000, including:

✔ 7 months of customized technical incubation
✔ Two dedicated analysts to develop the financial model, instrument structure and impact framework
✔ Guidance from a 10–15 member working group of investors, funders and technical experts
✔ Investor engagement and market validation
✔ Pitch deck and fundraising strategy development
✔ Investor mapping and targeted introductions
✔ 30 days of tailored go-to-market support following endorsement
✔ Access to The Lab’s global climate finance network

💡 What Ideas Are They Looking For?

Examples include:
✔ Debt or equity funds
✔ Guarantee facilities
✔ Asset-financing structures
✔ Results-based financing
✔ Securitization structures
✔ Insurance products
✔ Other innovative investment vehicles capable of mobilizing private capital

🌍 Africa Is a Core Focus for 2027

For Africa, The Lab is specifically seeking bold and scalable financial innovations supporting climate mitigation and private-sector investment.

Potential areas include:

🌱 Sustainable agriculture
☀️ Clean energy
🏙️ Greener cities
🌍 Low-carbon development
👩🏾‍💼 Climate solutions creating opportunities for women and youth

Proposals must target implementation in ODA-eligible countries. Other 2027 windows include Asia-Pacific, Brazil, India, and Latin America & the Caribbean.

⏰ Key Dates

📅 Call Opened: September 21, 2026
📅 Preliminary Application Deadline: October 16, 2026
📅 Full applications: Early December 2026
📅 Final cohort selection: Early March 2027

📩 Learn More & Apply

https://www.climatefinancelab.org/call-for-ideas/

📢 Know a fund manager, financial institution or climate finance innovator developing a new vehicle to unlock private capital for climate action? Share this opportunity.

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Selected ideas will demonstrate the potential to solve barriers to unlock climate investment in emerging markets.

20/09/2026

Up to $200,000 Investment for African AI Startups — Askya AI Growth Platform 2026
Applications are open for the Askya Investment Partners AI Growth Platform 2026, a 6-week, zero-equity programme designed for African startups using AI to build solutions with the potential to transform industries across the continent.
Only 10 startups will be selected. The programme combines hands-on growth support, access to experienced founders and operators, corporate customers, AI infrastructure and potential investment from Askya Investment Partners.

💰 What This Offers
✔ Potential equity investment of up to $200,000 from Askya for the cohort's most promising startup
✔ Zero equity, zero warrants and zero programme fees
✔ Weekly 1-on-1 coaching from founders and operators who have built $100M+ companies
✔ Direct introductions to corporates interested in testing and deploying AI solutions
✔ Access to cloud, GPUs and AI infrastructure
✔ API access and partner benefits across legal, design and talent
✔ Public showcase at Moonshot by TechCabal in Lagos
✔ Continued support to move corporate opportunities towards signed contracts after the programme ends.

🤖 Who Should Apply?
The programme is looking for startups that:
✔ Are based anywhere in Africa and building for African markets
✔ Have a live product with commercial traction, such as paying customers or an active pilot
✔ Are at MVP to Series A stage
✔ Are AI-native or deep-tech businesses where AI is central to the solution, or companies digitising the real economy and generating proprietary data that can leverage AI for growth
✔ Have strong technical capability and an ambitious founding team
✔ Can commit approximately 3–6 hours per week during the programme.

⏰ Key Dates
📅 Application Deadline: September 30, 2026
📅 Cohort Announced: October 15, 2026
📅 Programme: October 26 – December 4, 2026
📍 Moonshot Public Reveal in Lagos: October 28–29, 2026
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so applying early is encouraged.
📩 Learn More & Apply
https://www.askyainvestment.com/ai-growth-platform

📢 Know an African AI founder with a live product and early commercial traction? Share this opportunity.
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Six weeks of coaching by founders and builders of $100M+ companies, with a single focus on growth. Free, zero equity, for 10 African AI startups. Public reveal at Moonshot by TechCabal. Applications close 30 September 2026.

20/09/2026

💰 $150,000 Unrestricted Funding for Impact Enterprises Ready to Scale Globally — F.M. Kirby Prize
Applications for the F. M. Kirby Foundation, Inc. Prize for Scaling Impact, offered by CASE at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, will open soon.

The Prize provides $150,000 in unrestricted funding to an impact enterprise with a proven solution and an ambitious strategy to significantly scale its social or environmental impact.
The opportunity is global and sector-agnostic, and is open to eligible nonprofit, for-profit and hybrid organizations.

💰 What This Offers
✔ $150,000 in unrestricted funding — giving the winner flexibility in how the funding is deployed
✔ $1,000 awards for finalists
✔ Individualized feedback for organizations progressing through the selection process
✔ Increased visibility through CASE and Duke University networks
✔ Professional multimedia exposure for the winning organization

🌍 Who Should Apply?
Strong applicants should:
✔ Be an impact-driven nonprofit, for-profit or hybrid enterprise
✔ Have a minimum annual operating budget of $250,000
✔ Have a solution already tested in real-world settings
✔ Demonstrate meaningful evidence of measurable social or environmental outcomes
✔ Have at least 3 consecutive years of KPI data demonstrating impact and reach
✔ Have an ambitious strategy to substantially increase impact over the next 3–5 years
✔ Demonstrate a credible and feasible pathway to scale
⚠️ Important for international applicants: Organizations must have an established U.S. tax presence and federal taxpayer identification number, which may include an eligible U.S.-based fiscal sponsorship arrangement.

⏰ Key Dates
📅 Information Session: October 15, 2026
📅 Applications Open: October 23, 2026
📅 Application Deadline: December 2, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET — or once 250 eligible applications have been received, whichever comes first
🏆 Winner Announced: June 2027
Early application is strongly recommended due to the 250-application limit.

📩 Learn More & Apply
👉 https://case.fuqua.duke.edu/kirby-impact-prize/

📢 Know an impact enterprise with proven results that is ready for its next stage of growth? Share this opportunity.
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Create or complete your ECH Founder Profile so we can assess your business for potential connections to relevant investors and funding partners.
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F. M. Kirby Prize for Scaling Impact The F. M. Kirby Prize for Scaling Impact is an annual global prize of USD $150,000 in unrestricted funds that amplifies and accelerates the work of an enterprise working to scale its impact on social or environmental problems around the world. The Kirby Prize rec...