Deadline: October 16, 2026
Applications are open for the UNDP Africa Pan-African MineTech Exploration Technology Pre-Incubation Programme 2027. The timbuktoo MineTech Hub, together with the United Nations Development Programme and ecosystem partners across Botswana, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe, invites students, graduates, researchers, engineers, innovators, technical professionals and early-stage entrepreneurs to turn real world mining and mineral exploration challenges into practical technology solutions.
You do not need a finished product or an established company. A clearly defined idea or solution for how technology can be used to solve for the challenge briefs shared by the various UniPods is enough to apply.
Benefits
- Technical mentorship from experts, universities, geological institutions and mining sector practitioners.
- Industry engagement and validation to test whether your solution meets genuine user needs.
- Prototype development support through UniPods, MineTech Hub facilities and relevant innovation infrastructure.
- Entrepreneurship and venture readiness support, including business models, market validation and routes to commercialisation.
- Networking with mining stakeholders, researchers, technology experts, investors and innovation organisations.
Selected teams may also compete for seed funding to build low fidelity prototypes and proof of concept solutions, and high potential teams may progress to MineTech Hub incubation.
Eligibility
Multidisciplinary teams of 2 to 5 members, all aged 18 to 35, and all based in the same country, which must be Botswana, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia or Zimbabwe, so the team can work together at the dedicated UniPod. Your team should:
- Be made up of students, recent graduates, researchers, engineers, technical professionals, innovators or early-stage entrepreneurs.
- Bring complementary skills across at least two relevant disciplines, including technical expertise such as Computer Science, Data Science, Mining Engineering, Geomatics or Software Engineering and other similar disciplines.
- Have a clearly identified problem in mineral exploration, mining or related environmental or operational activities, and an initial technology-based idea to address it.
- Define the role of each team member and commit to the programme throughout.
- Provide a valid national ID for each team member.
- Female applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.
Application
Ready to turn a mining challenge into a technology solution? Apply before 16 October 2026.
For more information, visit UNDP Africa.
