Tag Archives: entrepreneurship

JIM LEECH MASTERCARD FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Application Deadline: December 4, 2024

LOCATION: Canada

The Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship gives African students and recent graduates the opportunity to access training, resources, financial support, and a network of mentors to develop their entrepreneurial skills and start building their own venture. 

ELIGIBILITY:

The program accepts students and recent graduates from all academic disciplines, and from any African post-secondary institution. Whether you are already working on a business or looking to start something new, they can help you.

The program is looking for participants who are committed to developing their entrepreneurial mindset and taking advantage of the resources provided to develop their own enterprise. The program is delivered virtually and can be completed at any pace, however, the most committed participants will commit at least 10 hours per week. In order to progress through the program phases, participants will submit assignments online, adhering to strict deadlines.

The program content is delivered in English.

Mentorship may be offered in English and French. Assignments and pitches must be completed in English. Prospective fellows who are unable to speak or write English are still encouraged to apply and form teams with someone who can fulfill all the requirements of the program in English.

Prospective fellows may also work with their local university to come up with a strategy to make sure they are able to access university resources that will help them navigate the challenge related to language ability.

BENEFIT:

Business bootcamp delivered by Queen’s University faculty and industry leaders who bring decades of combined entrepreneurship and C-Suite experience

The Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework, a proven step-by-step framework for scalable startups developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Pitch coaching and mastery

Live workshops on marketing, goal setting, and recruiting are held throughout the program

Opportunity to earn micro-credentials on Entrepreneurship awarded by Queen’s University for successful completion the courses

Mentorship and Networking:

Liaise with mentors and speakers leading innovation and entrepreneurship in North America

Access a Global Network of Queen’s entrepreneurial alumni

Join a cohort of thousands of like-minded students and recent grads from across Africa

Fellows are matched to industry leaders and entrepreneurs in the final phase of the program

Receive feedback at important startup milestones

Financial Support and Opportunities:

Up to 60 Fellows will be selected in the final phase to receive a stipend of $500 CAD

Opportunities to pitch for prizes of up to $15,000 CAD in the pitch competition at the end of the program

Opportunities to travel to the Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre to build lasting connections that will help you further your business venture

APPLY

OPEN CALL FOR SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS IN NIGERIA AND KENYA!

Application Deadline: October 6, 2024 at 23:55 West Africa Time

LOCATION: Multiple Regions

Are you an entrepreneur with a solution focused on improving water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and/or sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in Nigeria or Kenya? 

The Access Accelerator could be the program for you! This program could help take your idea to the next level with expert mentorship, network expansion, and seed funding. Don’t miss this opportunity!

ELIGIBILITY:

They are seeking social businesses based in Nigeria and Kenya that address the challenges of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) through:

Solutions to reduce loss in water distribution

Solutions for better management and technical training of service providers and public agents responsible for water and sewage

New and effective forms of financing for the sector (providers and consumers)

They also encourage applications from social enterprises that offer WASH and SRH solutions for the following beneficiary groups:

Women and girls 

Populations in remote and rural areas 

Populations in informal settlements 

BENEFIT:

All social businesses that complete the program will get access to:

Tailored support & capacity-building: Receive mentorship and topic-based guidance from industry professionals, including Reckitt employees, who can offer learning across a wide range of subjects from digital marketing to impact measurement & management. 

Extensive business network: The Access Accelerator offers social entrepreneurs an open door to partners and supporters from Reckitt, Yunus Social Business, and the global WASH community who are fully committed to creating better access to WASH for the long-term.

Access to seed funding: Financial support to help scale the growth of the participating social businesses beyond the accelerator

APPLY