Deadline: April 30, 2025
Applications are open for the VilCap Empowering Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Africa 2025. Empowering Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Africa 2025 is Phase Two of an initiative to strengthen climate innovation across Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
In 2024, Village Capital, in partnership with Norway, through Norad – the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, supported 14 Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs)/Ecosystem Builders through training and capacity building (read about Phase One here). This year, they continue their mission to support impact-creating founders and strengthen regional ecosystems by collaborating with five of these locally-led Ecosystem Builders.
Together, they will co-deliver five tailored investment-readiness programs, supporting 150 sustainability-focused startups across the above-mentioned markets in SSA.
Focus Areas
They are looking for startups in the following areas:
- Blue Economy: Fisheries and aquaculture, marine biotechnology, marine conservation, eco-tourism, and marine litter management.
- Climate Adaptation: Early warning systems, risk mapping and analysis technologies, meteorological data technologies, carbon capture and storage, green infrastructure, and water management technologies.
- Food Security: Precision agriculture, enhanced irrigation technologies, supply chain management, transportation and logistics, and cold-chain technologies.
- Renewable Energy: Microgrid technologies, clean cooking solutions, hydro, solar, geothermal, and wind, energy management software, and energy payment platforms.
Benefits
- Advice: Participate in a virtual investor forum and mock board meetings with representatives from financial institutions, corporations, experienced entrepreneurs, and investors who can help startups scale their solutions.
- Continued Learning: Access to live and asynchronous sessions tailored to a virtual learning environment to help their companies identify early milestones and prepare for their next round of capital (if relevant) or significant expansion.
- Financial Analysis: Access to an investment analyst who will coach startups 1:1 on building a financial model, identifying unit economics, and using financial metrics to drive both business and investor diligence.
- Media Exposure: Exposure to Village Capital’s program website and other communications collateral.
- Mentorship: Ability to meet with and receive mentorship from prominent investors, potential strategic partners, customers, and other funders.
- Networking: Access to a network of mentors and funders.
Eligibility
Eligibility requirements include:
- Have legal incorporation and operate as a for-profit entity in at least one of the following countries or have intentions to expand into them: Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, or Tanzania.
- Have a market-based tech solution that tackles one of the following challenges: Climate Adaptation, Renewable Energy, Blue Economy, or Food Security.
- Be in compliance with local fiscal and business law.
- Have at least two full-time founders based in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, or Tanzania.
- Have at least a minimum viable product (MVP) and raised less than USD 1M in equity.
- Have meaningful customer or business validation (not limited to revenue, it can also be successful pilot studies, number of users, and/or strategic partnerships).
Application
Startups should apply based on their country of operation:
- Apply here if you’re a startup in Ghana
- Apply here if you’re a startup in Kenya
- Apply here if you’re a startup in Malawi
- Apply here if you’re a startup in Mozambique
- Apply here if you’re a startup in Tanzania
For more information, visit VilCap Empowering Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Africa.
