Tag Archives: technology

MASTERCARD SME FUNDS FOR RESILIENCE AND PROSPERITY

Application Deadline: November 22nd, 2024.

LOCATION: Multiple Regions

The Mastercard Foundation Fund for Resilience and Prosperity is a seven-year, US$ 126 million Fund that aims to support Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) across the agriculture, climate adaptation and digital economy sectors in 20 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The main objective of the Fund is to unlock enterprise growth and catalyze, scale-up and sustain the creation of dignified and fulfilling work opportunities for young women and men, young people with disabilities and refugee youth.

ELIGIBILITY:

Be involved in the sector of focus i.e., agriculture.

Be an existing for-profit Small or Medium-sized Enterprise.

Be implementing business in at least one of the 20 focus countries in Africa.

Be requesting for grant funding ranging from US$ 500,000 to US$ 2,500,000, disbursed over a 3-year period, based on applicants’ development stage, scalability, and business model. Additional tailored technical assistance will be provided to successful applicants. 

Be providing matching contribution of at least 30% of the total project cost.

Have innovative, practical, and scalable businesses that aim to create work opportunities for young women and men, young people with disabilities or refugee youth.

Adhere to fundamental human rights, labour standards, and environmental management laws, both nationally and internationally, including seed laws/policy.

Refrain from any involvement in acts of terrorism or support for terrorist activities.

The countries are Benin, Burundi, Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

BENEFIT:

Support from FRP will include grants ranging from US$ 500,000 to US$ 2,500,000, disbursed over a 3-year period, based on the applicant’s development stage, scalability, and business model, in accordance with agreed periodic milestone targets.

APPLY

DIGITAL ENERGY CHALLENGE: ANNUAL CALL FOR PROJECTS

Appliation Deadline: 15th May 2024 – 23h59 CET

LOCATION: Multiple Regions

The Digital Energy Facility launched the Digital Energy Challenge in 2021 for a four-year term, with an annual call for projects.  The aim of the Challenge is to support the development of innovative solutions for greater energy access, to facilitate the integration of renewable energies and improve energy operators’ performance.

ELIGIBILITY:

The 2024 Call for Projects targets projects based in Africa and owned by:

Start-ups in the pre-seed phase or with early-stage activities. NGOs can apply under the Start-up category (see more details on the eligibility criteria for Start-ups).

Public utilities (public power utilities and public Independent System Operators, private companies under a public service concession, power pools, regional organisations, energy regulators, rural electrification authorities) in partnership with technology/service providers (see more details on the eligibility criteria for Utilities).

Eligible countries: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo Democratic Republic, Congo Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

BENEFIT:

Each year the Challenge will award 2 to 3 utility and technology/service provider partnership projects and 5 to 8 start-up projects. An annual budget of €1.8 M will enable grant-based funding, technical assistance and strategic guidance. 

APPLY