Tag Archives: Entrepreneurs

business funding, Events, Opportunities

2ND ECOWAS STARTUP AWARDS

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Application Deadline: 31 August 2026

LOCATION: Nigeria

A regional initiative of the ECOWAS Commission to identify, celebrate, and scale high-impact startups—advancing innovation, digital entrepreneurship, and economic integration across West Africa.

The 2nd ECOWAS Startup Awards are convened by the Directorate of Private Sector and Industry of the ECOWAS Commission, hosted in Abuja, and jointly implemented by the Pan African Alliance of Small and Medium Industries (PAOSMI) and Investment Promotion Agencies of West African States (IPAWAS).

ELIGIBILITY:

Applicants must meet all six requirements below.

Be a citizen of an ECOWAS Member State

Operate a startup registered and based within an ECOWAS country

Have a minimum of two (2) years of operations

Demonstrate a working product or service

Show evidence of market traction or scalability

Submit all required documentation

What you will need: Prepare these before you start—the form saves as you go.

Completed application form: Sections A–J, completed in this portal

National passport or ECOWAS-approved identity document: Lead founder — PDF or image, max 10 MB

Passport photograph: Recent colour photograph, max 5 MB

Business registration certificate issued in an ECOWAS Member State, if applicable

Two years of financial statements: Statements, management accounts or projections

Business plan: Maximum 10 pages, single spacing, Times New Roman 12

Pitch deck: maximum 10 slides

One-minute pitch video (MP4, MOV, or WebM, max 100 MB)

This second edition is expected to bring together 60 startups from across the member states and is designed in line with international best practices to ensure transparency, fairness, inclusivity, and merit-based selection.

BENEFIT:

Cash prize: $30,000 for the winner, $20,000 for the first runner-up, and $15,000 for the second.

Regional visibility: Profile across all twelve Member States.

Access to investors: Introductions through the deal rooms.

Networking: Founders, policymakers, and development partners.

Mentorship support: A 6-month acceleration programme with capacity building.

Digital tools: Computers, accessories, and software.

APPLY
awards, competition, Events, Opportunities

THE MILKEN-MOTSEPE PRIZE IN CIRCULAR ECONOMY

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Application Deadline: 13th August, 2026 at 18:00 UTC

LOCATION: USA

The Milken-Motsepe Prize in Circular Economy calls on scalable companies using technology to enhance circular economy practices across a variety of industries in Africa. Participating companies will also gain access to exclusive networking and the opportunity to pitch to industry leaders and key decision-makers. 

ELIGIBILITY:

The Milken-Motsepe Prize is seeking companies that meet the following eligibility requirements: 

Over 2 years of continuous operation 

Over $500k in revenue and raised capital 

Institutional, corporate, and/or public‑sector partnerships 

Solution currently deployed on the African continent 

Clear evidence of social impact and job creation 

Demonstrated operational readiness to deploy $1M+ in funding

The winning team will demonstrate a commercially viable, technology-enabled circular economy business operating in Africa with a clear path to scale. The business will reduce waste, keep materials in circulation, and deliver measurable environmental and social impact through stronger, more resource-efficient value chains. Teams will be evaluated based on commercial viability, market scalability, workforce and social impact, and circularity and environmental impact. 

Teams from a variety of businesses are encouraged to apply, and teams will be required to submit category-specific metrics from industries such as the following:  

Agriculture & Food Systems

Plastics & Packaging

Electronics

Textiles

Construction & The Built Environment

BENEFIT:
The prize offers $2 million in total prizes, including a $1 million Grand Prize.

Award Rounds:

Application Submission & Semifinalist Announcement: Teams submit their designs and business models. Ten teams will advance in the prize as semifinalists and receive $50,000.

Pitch Event & Finalist Announcement: Semifinalists will pitch their innovations to industry leaders and decision-makers. A panel of judges will select five teams to advance as Finalists and receive $50,000 each.

Grand Prize Submission & Announcement: Finalist companies will submit materials for the grand prize submission (sign into the Prize Portal to view the full rules). The winning team will receive $1 million, and the runner-up will receive $250,000.

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