Tag Archives: Entrepreneurs

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: REVUP WOMEN INITIATIVE, NIGERIA EDITION

Application Deadline: August 8, 2025

LOCATION: Nigeria

AfriLabs invites you to apply for the RevUp Women Initiative: Nigeria Edition, an enterprise development initiative designed to accelerate early-stage, women-led businesses within the Agribusiness and E-commerce sectors through tailored support, capacity building, and access to a thriving pan-African innovation ecosystem.

ELIGIBILITY:

E-commerce businesses are defined as companies that sell physical or digital products or services primarily through an online platform, including:  

Tech-enabled online retail stores, such as fashion, beauty, or household goods brands that operate through a website. 

Online marketplaces where customers can browse products, add to cart, and pay directly on the platform 

Digital service providers that enable online payments or bookings (e.g., logistics, consulting, edtech, Healthtech)  

Subscription-based product or service models delivered online 

E-commerce Eligibility Self-Assessment Checklist  

To qualify, your business should meet all the following criteria:  

Online Sales Platform:  

Do you have a website, mobile app, where customers can browse and order your products or services?  

Digital Payment System:  

Can customers pay for your products or services online using debit cards, bank transfers, or digital wallets?  

Online Order Fulfillment: 

Do you receive, process, and fulfil customer orders digitally?  

Use of Technology:

Do you use digital tools to manage key business operations (e.g., inventory, deliveries, customer support, sales tracking)?  

Scalable Digital Model  
Does your business have the potential to grow and serve more customers primarily through digital platforms?  

If you answer “No” to any of these, your business does not qualify as an e-commerce venture for this programme. This includes businesses that:  

Only use WhatsApp or Instagram for marketing but complete all sales manually  

Do not have any online payment or ordering system  

Operate strictly offline without any digital infrastructure.

Agribusinesses for this programme are defined as agriculture-based enterprises that integrate technology or innovation across the agricultural value chain, including:  

Tech-enabled food processing and packaging  

Agro-logistics platforms and cold chain solutions  

Smart or precision farming (e.g., use of IoT, data, or mobile tools)  

E-extension, e-commerce for farm produce, or digital platforms for farm inputs  

Agric-fintech or insurance solutions for farmers  

Value-added production or sustainable agritech solutions  

Agribusiness Eligibility Self-Assessment Checklist:

To qualify, your business should meet all the following criteria: 

Are you using technology to enhance any part of your agricultural value chain? 

Do you offer tech-enabled logistics, input distribution, or advisory services? 

Have you digitized any part of your production, sales, or supply chain? 

Are you developing a scalable agritech solution with measurable impact? 

BENEFIT:

Participants will benefit from:

A 12-week intensive hybrid acceleration programme focused on business growth, market expansion, and investment readiness. 

Access to high-quality female mentors across Africa. 

Visibility and access to investment and funding opportunities, and the wider AfriLabs ’network. 

Eligibility to win from $24,000 in funding, awarded to six outstanding women entrepreneurs:

$5,000 each for three first-place winners 

$3,000 each for three second-place winners 

Opportunities to showcase your business and position it for scale.  

Inclusion in a dynamic community of women entrepreneurs driving innovation.

APPLY

GLOBAL CITIZEN AND PAYPAL SMALL BUSINESS IMPACT AWARDS

Application Deadline: Friday, August 15th, 2025 by 5pm PST

LOCATION: USA

PayPal and Global Citizen have joined together to celebrate small businesses that are revolutionizing commerce and advancing social and environmental impact.

The Global Citizen and PayPal Small Business Impact Awards celebrate entrepreneurs and small business owners who are driving real impact in their communities by demonstrating a deep commitment to equity and sustainability in their business practices. The award will highlight innovative leaders of small businesses and social enterprises who have developed products and services that make a positive social or environmental impact.

ELIGIBILITY:

They accept applications from all over the world, with the exception of countries and entities subject to financial or other sanctions by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) or other government entities of the United States of America that may restrict the transfer of the Prize money. 

Active Business Leader: The applicant must be the business’s owner, CEO, or founder and actively involved in business strategy and/or operations.

Small-to-Medium-Sized Business: Business has fewer than 50 full-time employees or annual revenue under $1 million and is registered as a small business in its home country.

Demonstrate Community Impact: The business should have at least 3 years of operation and show significant, tangible contributions to the local community.

Supporting local causes, charities, or nonprofit organizations. 

Engaging in community development projects or local partnerships. 

Implementing sustainable practices that benefit the local environment or economy. 

Creating jobs or providing educational/training opportunities for community members. 

Serve the Local Community: The business must operate and primarily serve the local community.

❌ Business Cannot Be:

Affiliated with an organization from any country or entity subject to financial or other sanctions by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) or other government entity of the United States of America.

A franchise or part of a national or international chain, as the focus is on independent, locally owned enterprises. 

BENEFIT:

The awards platform will grant these community leaders a $25,000 USD cash prize and connect them to data and insights, access to highly skilled commerce and payments experts, and marketing/brand activations to accelerate their work and impact. 

APPLY