Deadline: January 27, 2025
Applications are open for the Africa Funding Readiness Fellowship 2025. The Africa Funding Readiness Fellowship is an immersive and intensive training which aims to help nano, micro, small and medium enterprises achieve financial readiness to secure funding. The fellowship will prepare business owners for investment through workshops and mentorship and will provide direct access to a network of over 50 investors. African Funding Readiness Fellowship is an expanded version of Countdown to Capital a 4-day intensive training held in 2022 for 20 entrepreneurs.
The Fellowship will cover themes around:
- Fundable Business Structures: You will learn how to build business structures that attract funders to your enterprise, including financial management, understanding financial risks, and required legal structures.
- Business Leadership: Driving Vision, Strategy, and Growth; learn how to guide your business toward achieving its goals by setting a clear vision, making strategic decisions, and inspiring teams to perform at their best. Balancing innovation, adaptability, and collaboration to foster sustainable growth and competitive advantage.
- Business Strategy, Operations and Technology Adoption: Optimizing Success, Aligning Business Strategy, Streamlining Operations, and Leveraging Technology Adoption. This highlights the importance of integrating business strategy with efficient operations and the adoption of emerging technologies to drive growth, improve competitiveness, and ensure long-term sustainability in today’s dynamic market environment.
Benefits
- Funding Readiness Training: This is a 6-month intensive training designed to equip founders and entrepreneurs with fundamental entrepreneurship training e.g. business leadership, strategy and operationalization. Founders will learn how to apply winning strategies to grow their businesses, develop funding plans, etc.
- Mentorship: AFRF will provide one-on-one mentorship to fellows to complement the learning modules from the workshop. Mentors will provide strategic guidance and assist fellows in navigating the intricacies of building a successful business.
- Access to Funding: They will host a demo day and provide an opportunity for fellows to pitch to investors. We will also partner with local lending institutions to provide low-interest loans to selected fellows.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Demonstrate their ability to show commitment throughout the Fellowship.
- Possess a reliable internet connection, be fully available to participate throughout the entirety of the program and be able to participate in English.
- Have a currently running business or aspiring business based in Africa.
- Be above 18 years as of January 2025.
Participants will be selected based on merit and ability to showcase purposefulness in business and showcase innovative and impactful ventures with strong market potential.
Application
- Stage 1 Application (October 21 – January 27, 2025):
- First Stage Application: Applicants are to record a 120-second video pitch.
- Second 2 Application (January 2025):
- Successful semifinalists from Stage 1 will be asked to answer some specific questions, related to the Fellowship goals, in writing. The Fellowship accommodates only 100 entrepreneurs
For more information, visit Africa Funding Readiness Fellowship.
