[HOT🔥] Funding Programs for Startups

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Accelerator/Fellowship/Funding/Grants/Residency

1.Halcyon Global Climate Fellowship 2026: Hybrid, fully funded fellowship supporting solutions for climate adaptation & resilience.

Eligibility: Global founders with an MVP
Deadline: January 15, 2026

Apply: http://halcyonaccelerator.org

2.Innovation Accelerator: Up to $100,000 equity-free funding + mentorship + global network access to scale food security, climate resilience, livelihoods & emergency response solutions.

Eligibility: Startups, NGOs, social enterprises & companies
Deadline: Ongoing

Apply: http://innovation.wfp.org

3.Residency – Lagos Cohort:$100,000 funding + mentorship + tech & operational support to launch and scale your next venture.

Eligibility: Early-stage founders & tech startups (idea to early traction)
Deadline: Ongoing

Apply: http://antler.co/apply

4.EdTech Fellowship: Catalytic funding, resources & ecosystem support to scale EdTech venture.

Eligibility: Growth-stage startups in Uganda (sector-agnostic)
Early Deadline: January 22, 2025

Apply: http://edtech.hivecolab.com

5.IYBA–WE4A Programme: $5,000 seed capital + mentorship + investment-readiness support for green & sustainable businesses.

Eligibility: Women entrepreneurs in Cameroon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo & Uganda
Deadline: January 25, 2026

Apply: http://tefconnect.net

6.EdTech Fellowship: $60K equity-free for EdTech innovators leading the future of learning

Eligibility: Growth-stage EdTech in Ghana
Deadline: January 30, 2026

Apply: http://meltwater.org/edtech-fellows…

7. African Impact Challenge – Health Entrepreneurship (HENT): Grant or SAFE funding + market access + investor network for healthcare.

Eligibility: Open to healthcare innovators across Africa (idea to growth stage)
Deadline: January 31, 2026

Apply: http://forms.app.africanimpact.ca/s/rvdnu7i0h5hq…

8. EdTech Fellowship (Cohort 3): Up to $70,000 equity-free funding for founders building educational futures.

Eligibility: Growth-stage EdTech startups in Tanzania.
Deadline: January 31, 2026

Apply:http://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI…

9. African Impact Challenge – Country Innovation (CI): Grant or SAFE funding for solutions serving the Nigerian market.

Eligibility: Idea → growth-stage; industry-agnostic
Deadline: January 31, 2026

Apply: http://forms.app.africanimpact.ca/s/j0ncasojbf6l…

10.Accelerator (AA4 Cohort): 12-week fundraising-readiness program + up to $500,000 potential investment.

Eligibility: Early-stage founders
Deadline: January 31, 2026

Apply: http://acceler8.africa

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1. FI Lagos Startup Accelerator: Network + investor access to turn ideas into fundable, investment-ready startups

Eligibility: Idea-stage & pre-seed founders
Deadline: TBA

Apply: https://fi.co/insight/build-a-great-startup-in-2026-with-the-fi-lagos-startup-accelerator

2. WE-Elevate Accelerator Program: Up to ₦1,000,000 + mentorship + digital tools to grow and scale online

Eligibility: Women-led SMEs in Nigeria
Deadline: Ongoing

Apply: https://t.co/IU7kKLua2M

3. African Youth Climate Hub (AYCH) Incubation: Supporting youth-led climate action and sustainability solutions

Eligibility: Youth-led, idea-stage climate innovations
Deadline: January 25, 2026

Apply: https://youthclimatehub.org/

4. The Tech Challenge: Build advanced digital banking and fintech solutions by UM6P Open Innovation Hub × Attijariwafa Bank

Eligibility: Fintech startups & early-stage ventures
Deadline: January 25, 2026

Apply: https://t.co/fWkeWM4oDf

5. Sustainability Open Innovation Challenge 2026: Over $3M in pilot funding + $100,000 prize to develop sustainability solutions by Enterprise Singapore

Eligibility: Global startups, SMEs & innovators

Deadline: January 30, 2026

Apply: https://sustainability.innovation-challenge.sg/

6.SME Venture Scale 2026 (Eridanseed): $25,000 growth fund + strategic partnerships to scale

Eligibility: Nigerian SMEs (sector-agnostic)
Deadline: January 31, 2026

Apply: https://t.co/Iyn5iD0lcx

7.SME Venture Scale 2026 (Eridanseed): $25,000 growth fund + strategic partnerships to scale

Eligibility: Nigerian SMEs (sector-agnostic)
Deadline: January 31, 2026

Apply: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdUEPZ7LcoYR4EtyKjGzzH879CxOiE-kCJcRhx5u19MQOyJmg/viewform

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Grants/Fellowship/Funding/Accelerator/Incubator

1.Make in Africa Membership Program: Equity-free support for early-stage African startups building hardware & deep tech (AI, 5G, IoT), $5K stipend and patent & IP support (up to $5K).

Eligibility: 1:1 mentorship
Deadline: February 15, 2026

Apply: http://qualcomm.com/company/locati…

2. OpenAI: A 5-week, no-equity OpenAI program for technical builders working on AI ideas or experiments. It focuses on hands-on building with direct mentorship from OpenAI engineers, early access to tools, and support to turn early ideas into real products.

Eligibility: Technical builders actively working on AI developers, early founders, researchers, or open-source contributors with side projects, prototypes, or experiments.
Deadline: Jan 12, 2026

Apply: http://openai.com/index/openai-g…

3. Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme: $5,000 seed capital, business training & pan-African network access.

Eligibility: African entrepreneurs with an idea or existing business
Deadline: TBA

Apply:http://tefconnect.com

4. The Sustainable Finance Bootcamp: Train with the Nigeria Green Bonds Market Development Programme to raise climate and impact-focused funding.

Eligibility: Nigerian SMEs planning sustainable projects or green transitions
Deadline: January 15, 2026

Apply: http://bootcamp.fsdafrica.org/home-1/

5.Africa Startup Accelerator (ASA) 2026: A 3-week entrepreneurship & leadership experience.

Eligibility: Founders who are alumni of the Regional Leadership Center
Deadline: January 15, 2026

Apply: http://mis.rlceastafrica.org

6.IKI Small Grants Programme: Up to €200,000 for local/regional climate & biodiversity projects.

Eligibility: Global organisations
Deadline: Jan 15, 2026

Apply: http://iki-small-grants.de

7. EdTech Fellowship (MEST Africa): $60K equity-free for EdTech innovators leading the future of learning

Eligibility: Growth-stage EdTech in Ghana

Deadline: Jan 30, 2026

Apply: http://meltwater.org/edtech-fellows…

8.African Impact Challenge – Health Entrepreneurship (HENT): Grant or SAFE funding + market access + investor network for healthcare solutions.

Eligibility: Open to healthcare innovators across Africa (idea to growth stage).

Deadline: January 31, 2026

Apply: http://forms.app.africanimpact.ca/s/rvdnu7i0h5hq…

Learn more: http://africanimpact.ca/our-initiative…

9. African Impact Challenge – Country Innovation (CI): Grant or SAFE funding for solutions serving the Nigerian market.

Eligibility: Idea → growth-stage; industry-agnostic
Deadline: January 31, 2026

Apply: http://forms.app.africanimpact.ca/s/j0ncasojbf6l…

Learn More: http://africanimpact.ca

10. Ecoembes Innovation Challenge (Circular Lab): €2,000 prize for innovations transforming waste management.

Eligibility: Global — including Africa
Deadline: Jan 31, 2026

Apply: http://opencall.thecircularlab.com/en/home/

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1.Her Africa Early Stage Incubator (HAESI) 2026: A 6-month program helping women entrepreneurs break barriers.

Eligibility: Early-stage social entrepreneurs, founders & innovators
Deadline: To be announced

Apply: https://afwag.org/our-programmes/her-africa-early-stage-incubator/

2. AngelSpark 2026 Investment Cycle: Get $100,000+ funding, pitch live, and connect with investors around the world.

Eligibility: Pre-seed & seed-stage startups with early validation
Deadline: Rolling

Apply: https://angelspark.net/apply-for-funding

3. Impact Investment Readiness (IIR) Accelerator 2.0: Funding options including grants, equity & loans, total $100,000+.

Eligibility: Women-, Youth- & PwD-led early-stage SMEs
Deadline: To be announced

Apply:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfMRlLsSDKZiK7ulJXdNTHESdSy34fUNICO9odRjelgqWS3-g/viewform

4.ACT Foundation Grant 2026: Seed funding for projects that solve social, economic, or environmental problems.

Eligibility: Health and Entrepreneurship-focused projects
Deadline: January 30, 2026

Apply: https://actrustfoundation.org/grant_application

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1.Call – Plastic Circularity:$120,000 funding + network + technical support with The Coca-Cola Foundation.

Eligibility: Pan-African startups, scientists, and innovators tackling plastic waste

Deadline: February 15, 2026

Apply: https://tally.so/r/aQ9RR

2.Award for Innovation 2026: Up to $10,000 prize for agri-food innovations.

Eligibility: Startups, private companies, researchers, and innovators

Deadline: February 2026

Apply:https://www.fao.org/fao-awards/innovation/about/en

3.INCiTiS-FOOD – 2nd Open Call for Independent Innovators: Up to €60,000 funding to co-create & pilot solutions for local food systems.

Eligibility: Startups & SMEs in Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Cameroon & Gabon

Deadline: February 9, 2026

Apply: https://open.substack.com/pub/christianbaobab/p/60000-in-funding-to-24-independent

4. Scale2Miami – Cohort 2 (Mana Tech): 4-week online program + up to $300K funding to scale into the U.S. via Miami

Eligibility: Early-stage startups with MVP

Deadline: Feb 15, 2026

Apply: https://scale2miami.com/

5.Make in Africa Startup Mentorship Program 2026: Equity-free support + $5,000 stipend to build advanced or hardware-enabled technologies

Eligibility: Early-stage deep-tech startups

Deadline: February 15, 2026

Apply: https://www.qualcomm.com/company/locations/africa/qualcomm-make-in-africa