Deadline: September 28, 2025
Are you an African start-up transforming agriculture with technology or tech-enabled innovation? Are you ready to scale your impact and attract investment? Apply now for the SAIS Investment Readiness Programme 2026.
The SAIS Investment Readiness Programme is a free, year-long, tailor-made support programme for African start-ups creating impact in the agricultural sector, whether directly or through areas like climate, livestock, energy, biotech, fintech, circular economy, logistics, or other agri-adjacent sectors. The programme helps you get investor-ready and grow through customised advisory, targeted technical support, and access to a vibrant community of founders, experts, and investors.
Benefits
A one-year, fully funded, tailor-made support programme including:
- Up to €20,000 in technical assistance budget for consultancies, expert support, legal advice, online marketing, licenses, certifications, ESG governance, product optimisation, market entry strategies, customer acquisition & sales campaigns, marketing & PR, graphic design, employee training, and more.
- Access to revolving working capital loans of up to €50,000 with 9-month maturity at 1.5% interest.
- Up to €10,000 in digital agency advisory from an international IT consultancy firm to strengthen your digital capacities, marketing skills and data analytics.
- Fully sponsored trips to two in-person community events back-to-back with the Africa Tech Summit in Nairobi (February of each year), and one additional sector conference.
- Investment and partnership facilitation through invite-only pitch sessions with a curated network of investors, bespoke introductions to investors & funds, guidance on fundraising strategy and due diligence.
- A community of 100+ portfolio companies.
Eligibility
- Be for-profit and registered in Africa (all countries except South Africa)
- Have a management team of at least two people.
- Be pre-seed through Series A.
- Having a minimum viable product and evidence of revenue and paying customers.
- Be AgriFoodTech or agricultural-adjacent with a direct/indirect impact or relevance for the agricultural sector or stakeholders.
- Have a tech or tech-enabled innovation as a key driver of value, scale or efficiency.
Applicant companies will be evaluated against business model, technology, team, impact and traction. Special consideration is given to companies with local founders and gender-diverse founding teams.
Application
Apply now in English or French by 28 September!
For more information, visit SAIS Investment Readiness Programme.
