Deadline: March 20, 2026
Applications are open for the Mastercard Foundation Fund for Alumni Start-ups in Transition (FAST) Program 2026. FAST supports and empowers the next generation of entrepreneurs by providing enterprise support and connecting participants to business development training and a supportive network of like-minded entrepreneurs and mentors.
FAST is a partnership of the Mastercard Foundation with CCHub Nigeria, MDF Global, Concree, Scale up, Savannah Innovations Lab, the Center for Enterprising Organizations, Inkomoko, and the Africa Leadership Academy (ALA).
Benefits
Participants will gain access to funding, business development training, and a supportive network of like-minded entrepreneurs and mentors.
- Idea Phase: An average of USD $3,000 (up to $5,000) to help develop and refine initial ideas.
- Build Phase: An average of USD $12,500 (up to $15,000) to transform the ideas into viable business models.
Eligibility
FAST is open to aspiring entrepreneurs or those in the early stages of their entrepreneurship journey. It offers a unique opportunity for Alumni from the following programs:
- Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)
- African Leadership Academy (ALA)
- Anzisha Prize
- Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
Note: Applicants who are nearing graduation can receive a provisional acceptance letter and, upon completing their studies, join the next cohort.
Application
Applicants must submit documentation in the application that confirms their Alumni status for one of the following programs: Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, African Leadership Academy, Anzisha Prize, or Young African Leaders Initiative.
- Alumni from the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program will need to provide a student ID from the institution they attended. This ID will be used to verify your Scholars Program Alumni status.
- Alumni from African Leadership Academy, Anzisha Prize, or Young African Leaders Initiative can use the English FAST verification letter or provide a different form of verification, such as a certificate of completion.
For more information, visit Mastercard Foundation FAST Program.
