Deadline: January 22, 2021
Applications are open for the Village Capital/IFC Future of Work Africa 2021. The Future of Work Africa is an accelerator supporting and scaling startups across Sub-Saharan Africa that help young people find jobs, build careers, and prepare for the future of work.
Africa’s workforce is projected to be the largest in the world in the coming decades, with hundreds of millions of people below the age of 25 starting to look for work. But there are simply not enough quality jobs for this young and growing population. Nearly half of young people on the continent are unemployed, and in some countries, more than four out of five work in the informal sector, with fluctuating incomes and few if any benefits. While agriculture has long been the continent’s top sector, more and more of Africa’s population is moving to urban areas, where jobs in the formal sector are in short supply.
The accelerator will support entrepreneurs of early-stage ventures building for-profit, market-based solutions across the education, employment, and benefits spectrum that can help young people in Sub-Saharan Africa better prepare for and manage the future of work. Participants can expect the renowned investment readiness curriculum, engagement with mentors and investors, and peer collaboration.
Eligibility
Open to ventures that address youth unemployment through the following:
- Innovations like upskilling/reskilling programs;
- Credentialing programs;
- New approaches to apprenticeship or employment matching;
- Financial health for informal workers, and/or;
- Edtech.
The Workshop
Future of Work Africa 2021 will host two cohorts, each cohort will have between 10 and 15 entrepreneurs. They are not sure yet if the program will be in person or virtual. A decision will be made as they approach the workshop dates.
Cohort 1
- Sprint Week: May 3-7
- Work Week 1: Jun 2-4
- Work Week 2: Jun 29- Jul 1
- Work Week 3: Jul 27-29
- Closing Week: Aug 23-27
Cohort 2
- Sprint Week: May 17-21
- Work Week 1: Jun 15-17
- Work Week 2: Jul 13-15
- Work Week 3: Aug 10-12
- Closing Week: Sept 13-17
Application
The deadline to apply for this program (for both cohorts) is January 22, 2021.
For more information, visit Future of Work Africa.
