Village Capital supports an investment readiness program to advance innovative and sustainable solutions, actively contributing towards building resilience and mitigating the effects of climate change across Africa. The program currently accepts startups from Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa, which promote sustainable solutions for underestimated communities. The program will run for twelve weeks. Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis, through 09 May 2025. Greentech Africa
training/education
Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens — Youth AgriChampions 2025
The Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens (BKMC) hosts the 3rd edition of the Youth AgriChampions – a Peer2Peer workshop series on climate adaptation in agriculture. The workshop is designed for youth grassroots voices in smallholder farming and agricultural entrepreneurship in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Zambia. Participants are invited to share their on-the-ground experience with adapting their practices to climate change. Interested participants have to submit their application before 24 March 2025. Details here
BeChangeMaker Africa — Social Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program
BeChangeMaker is an online training program for social entrepreneurs. Participants gain access to tools and technology for start-ups, coaching, mentoring, and access to a diverse global network of potential investors. Interested social entrepreneurs have to form a team of 2-5 people between the ages of 18 and 35 years and present a social challenge they wish to address. Applications are open until 31 May 2025. BeChangeMarker
North Atlantic Treaty Organization — Women & Girls in Science
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization aims to inspire young women to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) by providing a platform for them to share innovative research ideas that impact global security and defence. The Women & Girls in Science 2025 (WGS25) challenge invites young women and girls to submit visionary research proposals addressing pressing challenges in the field of security and defence research. The challenge is open to university students (bachelor, master, PhD), early career researchers, or individuals interested in starting a career in STEM and/or defence. The deadline for submissions is 11 March 2025. Details here
United Nations — Ocean Literacy Summer School
The EU4Ocean Summer School on Ocean Literacy & Collaboration is an intensive 5-day training program aimed at building essential skills and fostering collaborative approaches in the design and implementation of ocean-related projects. This program is open to students and early-career professionals from international universities and institutions from EU and non-EU countries of the interested region. Interested students and early career professionals can apply to the summer school by 16 March 2025. EU4Ocean Summer School
European Union — Online Acceleration Programme for Women Entrepreneurs
The BIC Africa Acceleration Program supports women entrepreneurs from Angola, Comoros, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Somalia, and 5 others from other Sub-Saharan African countries. The program will run from April to July 2025 for 4 months, and it will focus on established post-revenue women entrepreneurs with a registered startup or business. The applicant must be a woman founder/ CEO of a company. Applications have to be submitted by 20 March 2025. Details here
French-African Foundation — Young Leaders 2025
The French-African Foundation invites applications for Young Leaders 2025. The program recognizes and supports young leaders to become true agents of change in relation to global challenges. Candidates must be between 28 and 40 years old and have French nationality or the nationality of an African country. Successful candidates will spend five days in France, five days in Africa, engage in high-level meetings and receive training and mentorship. Flights and accommodation will be provided. The deadline for applications is 30 March 2025. About the program
OPEC Fund for International Development — Grants
The OPEC Fund provides financial assistance to developing countries, particularly low-income countries, in support of their economic and social development efforts. OPEC will consider requests for (i) grants for country-specific activities and projects; (ii) grants for special development initiatives of global or regional scope; and (iii) emergency aid. In the past, the OPEC Fund has financed projects in agriculture, energy, health, transportation, and water and sanitation sectors. The amount of the contribution will vary according to the scope and the nature of the proposed activity. However, except for emergency aid and small grants in amounts of up to US$100 thousand, OPEC’s contribution should not exceed 50% of the total cost. Eligible partners are any government or non-government entity, including co-financing partners, private sector entities, research entities, UN agencies, and international NGOs. There is no deadline. Know more about the OPEC Fund
OceanHub Africa — Acceleration Program
OceanHub Africa supports African for-profit startups focused on preserving and restoring the health of the ocean. The 6-month acceleration program provides mentorship, services, software, fundraising support, and a network of leading ocean experts, mentors (entrepreneurs, investors, innovation experts, impact experts, scientists, lawyers, etc.), impact investors, and potential clients. Eligibility extends to for-profit start-ups operating in Africa and with a clear focus on ocean issues (e.g., climate change, pollution, or overexploitation). The application deadline is 30 June 2025. OceanHub Africa
Bosch Business Innovations — CarbonCapture Startup Challenge
The CarbonCapture Startup Challenge is a three-month virtual program designed to support early-stage startups developing innovative solutions in Direct Air Capture (DAC), Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS), and downstream applications within the carbon dioxide value chain. Selected startups will receive €15 thousand in funding, mentorship from Bosch experts, and access to a global network of industry professionals and investors. Eligible applicants are early-stage tech startups in the pre-seed to seed stage, comprising teams of 2-4 members with diverse skill sets, and must be registered legal entities. Applications are open worldwide until 28 February 2025. CarbonCapture Startup Challenge