[April 2026]
Explore a curated list of business grants, startup programs, accelerators, and innovation challenges designed to support entrepreneurs and growing ventures worldwide. Whether you are an early-stage founder or scaling your business, this guide helps you identify relevant opportunities to accelerate growth and expand your impact.
Watson Institute Flagship Fellowship for Impact Entrepreneurs
Deadline: 28-June-2026
The Watson Institute Flagship Fellowship is a fully funded 16-week program designed for impact-driven entrepreneurs. It provides leadership training, business development support, mentorship, and global networking opportunities to help founders scale their ventures…[more]
Apply For Western Union Global Fellowship
Deadline: 28-June-2026
The Western Union Global Fellowship is seeking applications to support entrepreneurs and community leaders working to create impact for refugees, highly marginalized groups, and displaced populations around the world…[more]
Nominations Open: Cartier Women’s Initiative Regional Awards
Deadline: June 16, 2026
The Cartier Women’s Initiative Regional Awards support women-led impact businesses worldwide with funding, training, and global exposure to scale solutions addressing social and environmental challenges…[more]
Science and Technology Pioneer Award for Women Innovators
Deadline: June 16, 2026
The Science & Technology Pioneer Award recognizes and supports women entrepreneurs worldwide who are driving breakthrough innovation through advanced scientific and technological solutions…[more]
Deep Scale Accelerator for Sustainable Technology Startups
Deadline: June 01, 2026
The Deep Scale Climate Tech Accelerator is offering to support deep tech startups in scaling internationally through advanced lab infrastructure, ecosystem integration, and access to strategic industries…[more]
Applications open for Global Sustainable Innovation Program
Deadline: May 06, 2026
The L’Oréal Groupe is inviting applications from startups, SMEs, and innovative companies worldwide to participate in its flagship sustainable innovation program, L’AcceleratOR, aimed at piloting and scaling breakthrough solutions for a more sustainable beauty industry…[more]
Neptune Awards 2026: Innovating for Resilient Oceans
Deadline: August 07, 2026
The Ocean Exchange Neptune Awards 2026 offer a unique opportunity to support groundbreaking solutions that enhance our understanding of the ocean while minimizing human impact…[more]
DayOne Accelerator Program for Healthtech Startups
Deadline: May 31, 2026
The DayOne Accelerator is seeking applications to accelerate their growth by developing innovative solutions at the intersection of healthtech and pharmaceutical research and development…[more]
Funding Frontier Climate Tech Solutions for Children’s Health
Deadline: May 17, 2026
The UNICEF Venture Fund is inviting startups to apply for funding to develop frontier technology solutions at the intersection of climate and children’s health…[more]
Enlight Fellowship for Youth Mental Wellbeing Leaders
Deadline: 05-July-2026
The Enlight Fellowship is a fully funded 16-week global programme supporting youth entrepreneurs and leaders working on mental wellbeing solutions. It offers leadership training, mentorship, financial skills development, and an in-person summit to help fellows scale impactful initiatives…[more]
The Gap in Between Startup Challenge 2026
Deadline: July 14, 2026
The Social Nest Foundation is inviting applications from startups to help accelerate solutions for pressing social and environmental problems while connecting them with global resources and networks…[more]
FII Innovators Pitch for Transformative AI Solutions
Deadline: May 28, 2026
The FII Innovators Pitch invites forward-thinking innovators to present technology-driven solutions that can address global challenges across climate, healthcare, robotics and education…[more]
Request for Applications: Business Partnership Facility 2026
Deadline: May 08, 2026
The 15th edition of the Business Partnership Facility (BPF) offers up to €300,000 in co-funding to support European companies implementing sustainable and high-impact projects in developing countries…[more]
Entries Open: Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation
Deadline: June 30, 2026
The Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation 2026 recognize outstanding efforts in preserving cultural heritage across the Asia-Pacific region through exemplary conservation projects…[more]
The 2026 Ford Philanthropy Fellowship: Empowering Community Leaders
Deadline: 15-August-2026
The 2026 Ford Philanthropy Fellowship by Ford Philanthropy is a fully funded program designed for entrepreneurs and community leaders driving social impact. It provides training in leadership, business skills, and community development, along with mentorship, financial tools, and global networking opportunities…[more]
2026 Africa Earth Observation Challenge
Deadline: June 5, 2026
The Africa Earth Observation Challenge 2026 is an open innovation program designed to support the development of space-based technologies and Earth Observation applications that address environmental, societal, and developmental challenges across Africa…[more]
Visa Africa FinTech Accelerator Program – Cohort 6 (Africa)
Deadline: May 17, 2026
The Visa Africa FinTech Accelerator Program Cohort 6 is offering to support early-stage fintech startups in Africa by providing structured growth support, mentorship, and technical resources…[more]
Open Call for Renewable Energy Startups and Entrepreneurs
Deadline: May 17, 2026
The RAISEAfrica Programme provides support to young African innovators and startups in scaling renewable energy solutions through structured acceleration and funding opportunities…[more]
Request for Applications: Africa Sustainable Futures Awards
Deadline: 30-June-2026
The Africa Sustainable Futures Awards 2026 is an annual program that recognizes and promotes private sector-led solutions addressing key development challenges across Africa…[more]
EYElliance Pan-African Innovation Challenge for Optical Enterprises
Deadline: May 25, 2026
The EYElliance 2026 Pan-African Innovation Challenge is designed to support revenue-generating optical enterprises across Africa with catalytic capital and structured growth support to scale access to affordable eyeglasses…[more]
ASEAN SOAR Together – Acceleration Programme
Deadline: May 10, 2026
The ASEAN SOAR Together Acceleration Programme offers MSMEs a six-month intensive journey to strengthen digital business capabilities and expand sustainably across the ASEAN region…[more]
Viable Agri-Business Investment Project Competition
Deadline: May 31, 2026
The MOVE-ComCashew invites young and emerging entrepreneurs in the cashew sector to transform their ideas into investment-ready, climate-smart agribusiness ventures through the e-MOVE AgriCanvas programme…[more]
Submit Applications for Nordic Project Fund
Deadline: May 15, 2026
The Nopef is requesting applications to support small and medium-sized enterprises expand their sustainable solutions into global markets through feasibility studies…[more]
Accelerate Africa Startup Program for Early-Stage Founders
Deadline: July 25, 2026
The Accelerate Africa program supports early-stage founders across the continent to build globally impactful businesses through expert-led guidance and structured support…[more]
2026 Orange Social Venture Prize for Young Entrepreneurs
Deadline: May 10, 2026
The 2026 Orange Social Venture Prize (OSVP) opens opportunities for young entrepreneurs in Africa and the Middle East to scale their startups and deliver innovative solutions that benefit their communities and the planet…[more]
Call for Applications: Generation Next Grant Program
Deadline: May 05, 2026
The Generation Next is a fully funded grant program designed to empower early-stage female entrepreneurs from ASEAN and Australia to scale their businesses globally and drive economic growth…[more]
Apply Now: ExciteLab Acceleration Program for Startups
Deadline: June 15, 2026
The ExciteLab offers an acceleration program designed to connect early-stage startups with industry leaders, investors, and partners to accelerate their go-to-market journey…[more]
Upwell Venture Program for Ocean Innovation Startups
Deadline: May 15, 2026
Upwell is a venture program designed to support ocean innovation startups in Latin America and the Caribbean as they move from prototype to real-world deployment with industry partners…[more]
BRICS Women’s Startups Contest 2026
Deadline: May 15, 2026
The Women’s Startups Contest is seeking applications to empower women-led startups across BRICS countries by promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and global market opportunities…[more]
Funding Call for Space-Tech Wetland Sustainability Projects
Deadline: 15 May 2026
The European Space Agency is seeking applications to develop space-enabled applications that support wetland sustainability and create viable business opportunities…[more]
Call for Applications: Best in Business Awards 2026
Deadline: 30-June-2026
The Best in Business Awards 2026 is seeking applications from leaders and organizations driving innovation and excellence, aiming to support and showcase their contributions to business and economic growth…[more]
Entries open for Pow Wow Pitch Competition (Canada and US)
Deadline: June 01, 2026
The Pow Wow Pitch offers Indigenous entrepreneurs across Turtle Island an opportunity to showcase their ideas, gain visibility and access funding and support…[more]
Nominations Open: EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award 2026 (Malaysia)
Deadline: June 15, 2026
The EY launches the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 program is requesting applications to support and recognize exceptional entrepreneurs in Malaysia as they build transformative and successful businesses…[more]
Open Call: National Energy Bill Relief for Small Businesses in Australia
Deadline: June 30, 2026
The Australian Government has launched a National Energy Bill Relief payment to support eligible small businesses in managing electricity costs…[more]
RFAs: Zensurance Small Business Grant Program (Canada)
Deadline: June 3, 2026
The Zensurance Small Business Grant Program is seeking applications to support Canadian entrepreneurs aiming to grow their businesses…[more]
Apply Now: WBCL Lagos Business Growth Grant (Nigeria)
Deadline: May 21, 2026
The WBCL Lagos Business Growth Grant is now accepting applications to support women-owned businesses in Lagos that are ready to scale and expand their operations…[more]
RFAs: Backing Canadian Small Businesses Grant Program
Deadline: May 19, 2026
The Backing Canadian Small Businesses grant program supports locally significant small businesses across Canada by providing funding and mentorship to help them grow and strengthen their community impact…[more]
2026 Startup Incubation Program for Young Changemakers (Ukraine)
Deadline: May 22, 2026
The Social Impact Award 2026 incubation program provides an opportunity for young social entrepreneurs to transform early-stage ideas into impactful ventures through structured mentorship, resources, and a global support network…[more]
SLINGSHOT 2026: Deep Tech Startup Pitching Competition (Singapore)
Deadline: June 30, 2026
The SLINGSHOT 2026 is a global deep tech startup pitching competition designed to identify and support innovative startups through a structured application and evaluation process…[more]
Tattvax DeepTech Startup Accelerator – Cohort 2 (India)
Deadline: May 16, 2026
The Tattvax Accelerator Program is designed to support high-potential DeepTech startups by providing structured mentorship, technical guidance, and access to industry and investment opportunities to help them scale innovative solutions…[more]
Apply Now: Youth Incubation Program for Social Innovation (Croatia)
Deadline: June 5, 2026
The Social Impact Award incubation program supports young entrepreneurs in transforming early-stage ideas into meaningful social ventures by providing mentorship, resources, and a structured selection process to help them develop and scale their impact…[more]
Call for Applications: Local Food Promotion Program (US)
Deadline: June 5, 2026
The Local Food Promotion Program is seeking applications to strengthen local and regional food systems by supporting enterprises that connect producers and consumers through indirect agricultural marketing…[more]
Open Call: Black-owned Agro-processing Enterprises (South Africa)
Deadline: May 22, 2026
The NEF and GDARD have opened applications for blended finance funding to support Black-owned agro-processing enterprises in Gauteng…[more]
Social Impact Award Slovenia Incubation Program
Deadline: May 15, 2026
The Social Impact Award Slovenia 2026 program offers young changemakers a structured incubation opportunity to develop early-stage social entrepreneurship ideas into impactful ventures…[more]
Open Call: Regional Food System Partnerships Grant Program (US)
Deadline: June 5, 2026
The Regional Food System Partnerships program is inviting applications to support collaborative initiatives that bring together public and private resources to strengthen the development and coordination of local and regional food systems…[more]
Open Call for Farmers Market Promotion Program (US)
Deadline: June 5, 2026
The Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) is a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant initiative that supports the expansion of direct producer-to-consumer food markets…[more]
Social Impact Award: Incubation Program for Youth Entrepreneurs (Armenia)
Deadline: May 31, 2026
The Social Impact Award incubation program offers young changemakers a structured pathway to transform early-stage ideas into impactful social ventures through mentorship, community support, and competitive recognition…[more]
Youth Entrepreneurship Incubation Program for Business Growth (Hungary)
Deadline: May 31, 2026
The Social Impact Award is offering to support young entrepreneurs to develop early-stage ideas into viable businesses through mentoring, evaluation, and access to a global support ecosystem…[more]
Call for EOIs: Innovate UK Venture Builder Initiative
Deadline: May 22, 2026
The Innovate UK is seeking grant applications to bridge the gap between validated customer discovery and investment readiness by supporting spin-out companies to become investor-ready and secure their first investment…[more]
Transformative Company Support Programme in the Field of Green Economy (Ethiopia)
Deadline: May 22, 2026
The Transformative Company Support Programme aims to support high-growth potential companies working in the green economy by providing technical assistance and enabling broader developmental impact across key sustainable sectors…[more]
OctaNE Open Challenge Program Animation 9.0 (India)
Deadline: May 11, 2026
The OctaNE Open Challenge Program (OCP) for Animation at the Center of Entrepreneurship in Shillong invites startups and entrepreneurs to develop innovative animation-based solutions while receiving comprehensive support to grow and scale their ideas…[more]
NUMÜ Digital Window Grants for Business Growth and Sustainability (Tunisia)
Deadline: 30-September-2028
The NUMÜ Digital Window initiative, implemented by Expertise France with support from the French Development Agency, provides grants between €50,000 and €200,000 to organizations supporting startups and SMEs in Tunisia…[more]
South East Queensland Innovation Economy Fund (Australia)
Deadline: June 25, 2026
The SEQ Innovation Economy Fund provides financial support to strengthen innovation infrastructure and accelerate job creation across South East Queensland…[more]