Tag Archives: African Entrepreneurs

awards, competition, Events, Opportunities

ORANGE SOCIAL VENTURE PRIZE IN AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

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Application Deadline: May 18, 2025

LOCATION: Multiple Regions

As a powerful driver of economic development around the world and a major force in combatting gender inequalities, female entrepreneurship holds great promise for the future.

To encourage the emergence and success of business projects led by women, the International Women’s Prize was created.

Offering a €20,000 award, plus 6 to 9 months of business and technical support, this prize contributes to women’s empowerment as well as their digital and financial inclusion.

ELIGIBILITY:

Candidates must:

Be 21 years and over

Present a social entrepreneurship project based on NICT (New Information and Communication Technologies)

The candidates must present a project that involves at least one of the 17 countries

Each application will be assessed according to the rules of the national competitions, and up to three winners will be selected in each country.

The finalists will be evaluated by a grand jury of influential representatives from the African tech world, who will choose the three overall winners of the International Grand Prix. This jury will also be responsible for choosing the winner of the International Women’s Prize.

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See regulations

BENEFIT:

Awards:

International Grand Prix:

1st prize: €25,000

2nd prize: €15,000

3rd prize: €10,000

International Women’s Prize:

Winner: €20,000

OSVP winners receive financial support and coaching in Orange Digital Centers to develop their business internationally.

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awards, competition, Events, Opportunities

ASHOKA POWER OF LOCAL CHALLENGE FOR YOUNG CHANGEMAKERS ($60,000 CASH PRIZE)

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Application Deadline: February 26, 2025

LOCATION: Africa

Applications for the Power of Local Challenge are now open! They are looking for small business ecosystem builders—organizations that provide small businesses with diverse and equitable opportunities like resources, tools, networking, and more. If this sounds like you, then you’re in the right place!

ELIGIBILITY:

Country of Impact: Your initiative must be primarily impacting at least one of the following countries: Botswana, Brazil, Burundi, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia, Mexico, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe.  

Language: Your application should be fully written and submitted in English (Applicants, especially finalists, will be expected to engage in activities that require English proficiency).  

Exclusions: Employees and their children and grandchildren of the program partner, Ashoka, or its affiliates and participating advertising and promotion agencies are NOT eligible to apply. 

Additional Criteria: If your solution has not been implemented at scale; you must have a clear business plan and a minimum-viable solution (prototype, pilot, or another proof of concept).  

You may only submit 1 application per organization. 

You must be 18 or above by the application deadline, on February 26th, 2025.

BENEFIT:

A total of 11 winners will be awarded a cash prize of up to $60,000 as follows: 

We will award a minimum of 2 winners in each geographical region: Latin America, East Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa, East Asia.  

Ten Winners will receive $15,000 each. 

One Grand Prize Winner will be selected and will receive $60,000

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