Tag Archives: innovation

competition, Events, Opportunities, other events

JIM LEECH MASTERCARD FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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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
awards, business funding, competition, Events, Opportunities

STERLING BANK GREEN INNOVATION CHALLENGE FOR STARTUPS AND MSMES

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Application Deadline: October 20, 2024, at 2pm.

LOCATION: Nigeria

Welcome to Green Innovation Challenge (GIC) 2024 – Empowering Innovation through access to funding. GIC is dedicated to providing access to funding for startups, MSMEs, SMEs, cooperatives, and social enterprises that are driving innovation and positive environmental change.

ELIGIBILITY:

It is open to applicants in agriculture, clean tech and social enterprise, and is designed to connect you with the resources you need to bring your ideas to life, scale operations, and make a lasting impact.

Whether you’re launching a groundbreaking startup, growing an established SME, or leading a cooperative or social enterprise with a mission for good, we invite you to apply for funding to fuel your journey.

FOR CLEAN TECH APPLICANTS

Applicant must be between ages 20 to 45 years.

Solutions should cut across any of the following focus areas:
Battery recycling
EV digital technology application
Conversion of ICE tricycles to EV

Solution/innovation must be in the prototype or demonstration phase.

Applicant must have a clear plan for scale and viable prototypes.

Applicant for on-lending finance must have a minimum of 30% equity.

Successful applicants of the cleantech category in the Sterling Green Innovation Challenge stand a chance to win sponsored grants and access to lending financing from the Bank, however, the selection committee has the sole responsibility of, and discretion in selecting winners, and the decisions are final. The value of these prizes is to be at the sole discretion of the organizers.

Successful applicant must use funds for the proposed solution approved by the selection committee.

Applicants who are awarded a grant shall be obliged to sign a grant /use of funds agreement with
Sterling Bank detailing how they intend to use the grant funds, including a disbursement schedule
where applicable.

The selection committee and/or organizers shall have the right to withdraw any award/grant prize
from a participant who fails or refuses to comply with the obligation in this clause.

Grant recipients and applicants accessing finance will be expected to complete a documentation
process with the bank before disbursement of funds.

FOR AGRIC APPLICANTS

Applicant must be between age 18 and 35 years.

Application must be technology driven, proving productivity and profitability across value chain, and
focus climate smart initiatives.

Solution must be able to leverage on other sources of energy to save cost.

Solution must focus on value chain linkages and solve post-harvest losses.

Applicant solution must be on a specific value-chain, crop and livestock production, processing, sales, and distribution.

The selection committee and/or organizers shall have the right to withdraw any award/grant prize from a participant who fails or refuses to comply with the obligations in this clause.

All Sterling Bank terms and conditions apply.

FOR WOMEN-LED SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

Applicant must be a female between 18 and 45 years.

Applicant innovation should align with ESG principles and must be around renewable energy, climate education, agriculture, and climate action.

The selection committee and/or organizers shall have the right to withdraw any award/grant prize from an applicant who fails or refuses to comply with the obligations attached to this grant.

The selection committee has the sole responsibility of, and discretion in selecting winners, and the decisions are final. The value of the prize is to be at the sole discretion of the organizers. Successful applicants must use funds for the proposed solution approved by the selection committee.

All Sterling Bank terms and conditions apply.

BENEFIT:

FOR CLEAN TECH APPLICANTS: Applicant can access on-lending financing up to 1 billion Naira.

Minimum financing request for on-lending is 10 million Naira.

FOR AGRIC APPLICANTS: Applicant can access a single digit facility up to 20 million Naira.

FOR WOMEN-LED SOCIAL ENTERPRISE: Applicant can access a grant up to 2 million Naira.

APPLY