[June 2026]
Explore a curated collection of grants, fellowships, awards, competitions, startup programs, research fellowships, and innovation challenges open across Africa. Discover funding, recognition, mentorship, and capacity-building opportunities designed to support individuals, startups, researchers, changemakers, and organizations driving positive impact across the continent.
Nominations open for AL-Sumait Prize for African Development
Deadline: 31-Aug-2026
The AL-Sumait Prize is a prestigious $1,000,000 international award recognizing individuals and institutions driving sustainable development in Africa. It honors impactful work in food security, health, and education through applied research and innovative solutions…[more]
Request for Applications: Africa Sustainable Futures Awards
Deadline: June 30, 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]
Call for Entries: ESG Student Innovation Challenge (Africa)
Deadline: 16-July-2026
The Student Innovation Challenge 2026, organised as part of the Sustainability & ESG Africa Conference & Expo (SEACon), invites students to present innovative solutions addressing sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) challenges…[more]
Request for Applications: Africa Fellows in Education Program
Deadline: 30-June-2026
The Africa Fellows in Education Program offers a two-year, fully supported fellowship for young African researchers focused on education policy and evidence-based decision-making…[more]
Request for Applications: Cascador ScaleUp Programme
Deadline: 15-June-2026
The Cascador ScaleUp Programme is seeking applications to accelerate the growth of African founder-led businesses by strengthening leadership, refining strategy, and preparing companies for successful scale and capital deployment…[more]
Open Call 1 Supporting Research and Technology Innovation (Africa)
Deadline: 30-June-2026
The FCI4Africa Open Call 1 (OC1) provides up to €50,000 funding per project to support research and technology stakeholders developing innovative tools and solutions…[more]
Apply for Early-Career Research Fellowship Program
Deadline: 15-July-2026
The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Early-Career Research Fellowship is a fully funded 6-month program offering a $2,000 monthly stipend, travel, and accommodation support for African researchers…[more]
Accelerate Africa Startup Program for Early-Stage Founders
Deadline: 25-July-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]
Nominations open for GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition 2026
Deadline: 28-June-2026
The GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition is inviting applications to support and showcase young African agripreneurs developing innovative and impactful solutions across the food and agribusiness sector…[more]
Merck Foundation Africa Media Recognition Awards
Deadline: 30-September-2026
Applications are open for the Merck Foundation Africa Media Recognition Awards, which recognise journalists and media professionals across Africa for published work that raises awareness on key social issues…[more]
Call for Proposals: Spaces of Culture 2026
Deadline: 21-June-2026
The Spaces of Culture 2026 call, launched by EUNIC (EU National Institutes for Culture), is now open for innovative cultural relations projects in Sub-Saharan Africa…[more]
Submissions Open: Francis H. Brown African Scholarship
Deadline: 15-July-2026
The Leakey Foundation’s Francis H. Brown African Scholarship provides up to $30,000 to support East African scholars conducting research in earth sciences and botany related to human origins…[more]
Social Innovators Programme Fellowship for Young African Changemakers
Deadline: 12-June-2026
The Social Innovators Programme (SIP) 2026 is a 9-month fellowship by LEAP Africa supporting early-stage social entrepreneurs across Africa…[more]
Nominations Open: Abdool Karim Award in Biological Sciences
Deadline: 30-June-2026
The TWAS–Abdool Karim Award in Biological Sciences is an international recognition established by The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) to honour exceptional women scientists from Least Developed African countries…[more]
Nominations open for Africa Sustainable Futures Awards
Deadline: 30-June-2026
The Africa Sustainable Futures Awards is offering to support innovative private sector-led solutions that address development challenges and promote sustainable economic growth across Africa…[more]
Presidential African Youth in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Competition
Deadline: 30-June-2026
The Presidential African Youth in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Competition is a continental innovation initiative designed to strengthen Africa’s leadership in the Fourth Industrial Revolution…[more]
Apply Now: African Design Centre Fellowship Program
Deadline: 14-June-2026
The African Design Centre Fellowship Program is a fully funded professional development opportunity for emerging African architects, urban designers, landscape professionals, engineers, and related built-environment practitioners…[more]
Submissions open for develoPPP Ventures Program
Deadline: 30-June-2026
The develoPPP Ventures Program is inviting applications to support young companies in scaling innovative and impact-driven business models in emerging markets that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals…[more]
Applications open for MEST AI Startup Incubation Program
Deadline: 20-July-2026
The MEST AI Startup Incubation Program is inviting applications to support African entrepreneurs in developing AI startup ideas into validated, scalable, and investment-ready businesses…[more]
