CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY AFRICA BUSINESS INCUBATION PROGRAM

Application Deadline: May 20, 2026

LOCATION: Rwanda

The Business Incubation Program is a 12-month opportunity focused on helping tech founders in Africa to succeed with their entrepreneurial ventures. Startups entering the Business Incubation Program have a proof-of-concept prototype for their product and a preliminary market assessment. The goal is for startups to leave the program with a revenue-generating product that is positioned to successfully compete for additional investment they will need to scale.

ELIGIBILITY:

Eligible startups must be less than two years old and meet the following at the time of application:

Be building a scalable, tech-enabled solution addressing a clearly defined market opportunity across Africa

Have a proof-of-concept prototype with early validation and a clear path to profitability, scalability, and inclusive impact

Demonstrate strong market understanding and a credible business model

Be led by at least two committed co-founders able to dedicate full-time effort to the venture and program

Be a registered company. 

They will not consider applications from startups with the following criteria: 

Marketplaces (E-commerce, middleman platforms)

Late-stage startups, which have raised significant capital and earn consistent revenue

Startups without potential to generate jobs

Non-tech enabled startups

Startups without functional prototypes

Startups that have been through more than two similar programs in the past 12 months

BENEFIT:

$50,000 USD in seed funding from CMU-Africa

12 months of targeted advisory support from experienced practitioners across product, growth, compliance, and investment to drive revenue, scale, and investor readiness.

$5,000 in AWS credits and $1,500 in Amazon technical support

Introductions to angel investors, VCs firms, and partners in Africa and Pittsburgh

Opportunity to connect CMU-Africa’s partner ecosystem across Africa

Connection to global entrepreneurship networks, including startups and industry partners at CMU’s Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship in Pittsburgh

APPLY

2026-2027 DOCTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH MASTERCARD FOUNDATION GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

Application Deadline:  October 10, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST (Toronto time)

LOCATION: Canada

They are pleased to announce the start of the 2026-2027 Mastercard Foundation graduate scholarship recruitment at the University of Toronto. These graduate scholarships will be awarded to individuals who have demonstrated academic excellence in associated health-related disciplines and a personal commitment to going back and giving back to their home countries.

ELIGIBILITY:

Applicants MUST meet the following five eligibility criteria:

Be a citizen currently residing in a Sub-Saharan African country.

Have graduated from a partner institution of the Africa Health Collaborative (listed here) and have not yet started graduate studies at the doctoral level.

Demonstrate academic excellence and leadership qualities during his/her undergraduate and master’s years.

Be academically admissible to the sponsored graduate program listed above.

Demonstrate a desire and commitment to return home for the last two years of the program to contribute to the ongoing economic growth and social development in Africa.

Step One: Prospective applicants must first consult the admission requirements for the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program of study. If you meet the academic requirements of this program, please follow through to step two.

Step Two: Register and attend one of the three virtual info sessions and the (optional) Q&A session. Please note that to be eligible for the Mastercard Foundation Doctor of Public Health Scholarship and have your application considered, attendance at one (1) information session is mandatory.

BENEFIT:

This comprehensive scholarship offers full financial support for tuition, travel expenses, housing, food, books, and other expenses for the duration of the professional program. In addition to financial support, scholars will be provided with a comprehensive support network to ensure academic success. Furthermore, each scholar will have the opportunity to engage in orientation sessions, which will ensure that they are fully engaged from the very beginning of their graduate studies and which will ease their transition to life as a graduate student in the city of Toronto and to their preparedness for return to their home country.

APPLY

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