Funding opportunities For African Businesses

1. ShEquity Business Accelerator (SHEBA) Program 2022 for African Female Entrepreneurs

The SHEBA Program is designed to address investor’s concerns including key investment risks. The 16 weeks program focuses on getting female-led and owned businesses for investment and increase their chances of getting access to seed funding. The program is also designed to enhance leadership and soft skills needed to engage with key partners/customers as well as inspire teams to revamp and test their marketing strategy.

Requirements

The Accelerator provides venture building and technical support to African female entrepreneurs with impactful and scalable businesses in agribusiness (agritech, production, processing, wholesale & retailing, any other agribusiness value chain aspects), healthcare, tech enabled solutions (fintech, clean-tech, etc.), renewable energies, mobility and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs).

Benefits

• SHEBA is the bridge for female founders to access capital: after the acceleration program, qualifying businesses are recommended to ShEquity team for investment consideration.
• The typical ShEquity seed investment range between US$50K to 250K.
• In addition, SHEBA plans to organize demo days where other investors have opportunities to access impactful and scalable female-led businesses.

For more information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the ShEquity Business Accelerator (SHEBA) Program 2022

2. ACU Higher Education & the SDGs Challenge Grants 2022 (GBP 10,000 in grants)

Applications are now open for the Higher Education and the SDGs Challenge Grants to fund collaborative work around the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The grants focus on the following ACU Higher Education and the SDGs Network priority themes:

• Teaching and learning
• Research
• Estates and stewardship
• Engagement and impact
• Partnerships

Grants

Four grants of GBP 2,500 are available

How to apply

To apply, you will need to:

• Supply an outline of the project and a detailed time plan, including what it will involve and how it will address the Higher Education and the SDGs Network’s themes. The project time plan is requested for a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 12 months.
• Submit a letter of support from the Executive Head or equivalent of your institution to demonstrate their support for the programme of work proposed and the ways they will provide support for your project. The letter of support also acts as a reference for the project lead.
• You will also need to attach the project lead’s CV.

Grant applications that allow matching or additional funds from the applicant’s           institution will be looked upon favourably but it also not essential. Applications will be assessed on the following criteria:

• Project goals and feasibility
• Impact and outputs
• Experience and skills of the project lead and institution support
• Alignment with the themes of the Higher Education and the SDGs Network
• Collaboration

For more information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the ACU Higher Education & the SDGs Challenge Grants    2022

3. Swedish AI Fund (SAIF) for early-stage African AI Companies

 SAIF is an NGO with the purpose of providing financial aid, grants, and scholarships globally to those who are working, researching, and/or involved in the AI industry towards equality, safety, and security in the field of AI.

Eligibility Requirements

• To be eligible to receive funds from SAIF you need to apply through SAIF’s official partners and for the initial Africa funding call this is via The AI Media Group.
• SAIF is seeking to fund companies based in Africa primarily at pre-seed stage who have developed solutions and services that leverage AI.

Funding

• This fund is available in different forms in limited amounts for specific purposes (typically Euro 10k – Euro 15k) awarded as non-equity micro-seed grants by the SAIF network partners.
• Each year, the board of trustees at the Swedish AI Fund decides the amount and how to make this fund available to a specific group of organizations, institutions, and universities.
• The initial fund being distributed in this Africa call is Euro 96,000

For more information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Swedish AI Fund (SAIF)

4. The Africa-China Reporting Project (ACRP) Reporting grants on digital identity, data & technology in Africa (US$1,000 Grant)

 The Africa-China Reporting Project (ACRP) at the Wits Centre for Journalism in Johannesburg with support from Omidyar Network, and in collaboration with Paradigm Initiative, invites journalists worldwide to submit proposals for reporting grants. Successful applicants will be provided with a reporting grant of US$1,000 to investigate issues related to digital identity, surveillance, internet shutdowns, freedom of expression online, access to information, privacy, internet access, women’s rights online, digital empowerment for underserved communities, inclusive digital access, data privacy, and technology in Africa.

How to apply

Applications must be sent to ACRPapplications@gmail.com by no later than Thursday, 21 April, 2022 and should contain the following (only documents in MS word or PDF formats will be accepted):

• Applicant CV
• A brief proposal outlining (a) story to be investigated with a clear headline and explanation of story relevance and significance, (b) investigation methodology, (c) proposed publication/platform, and (d) itemized budget totaling no more than US$1,000
• List of previously published relevant reporting, if any.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Africa-China Reporting Project (ACRP) Reporting grants

5. Toyota Ventures 2022 Call for Innovators ($500K – 2 million in venture capital funding)

The 2022 call for innovation is an opportunity to receive between $500,000 and $2 million inn venture capital funding from Toyota Ventures. Toyota Ventures aims to invest in promising companies that are creating technologies to enable smarter, flexible, connected factories that will amplify people and improve efficiency and sustainability.

Eligibility

The call for innovation is open to startups around the world that meet the following criteria:

• Your company has raised less than $10 million USD in funding.
• You have a working prototype to demonstrate your solution.
• Your business model solves a market need and delivers value to customers.

How to Apply

With our call for innovation, we are looking to invest $500K – $2M in early stage startups that are developing solutions that will help smart automation and sustainable manufacturing.

• To respond to this call, submit the application form below. Only one application per company, please. All applications are subject to the Application Terms.
• Your startup must meet the eligibility criteria outlined above, and be looking to raise capital within the next six months.
• The call for innovation is not contest or competition, and there are no “prizes”. It is an opportunity to get your startup’s solution in front of the Toyota Ventures team.

Your pitch deck should address the following:

• How your solution addresses the problem identified in this call for innovation
• The market opportunity and your current traction
• Your business model and go-to-market strategy to deliver value to customers
• Your company’s technology and how you are applying it to the problem
• Founding team’s background and expertise
• The competitive landscape and how your approach is unique
• Financial performance, and projections
• Funding history, if any

For More Information

Visit the Official Webpage of the Toyota Ventures 2022 Call for Innovators

6. The Orange Social Venture Prize 2022 in Africa and the Middle East (€70,000 Euro Prize)

 Orange rewards the positive entrepreneurial spirit of dynamic start-ups within the framework of its Social Venture Prize. Since 2011, this international Grant Prix Competition has welcomed start-ups from 17 countries in Africa and the Middle-East. It identifies, rewards, and supports business propositions that make a positive social and environmental impact.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidate must:

• Be 21 years and over
• Present a social entrepreneurship project based on NICT (New Information and Communication Technologies)
• The candidates must present a project that involves at least one of the 17 countries.

Awards International Grand Prix

• 1^st Prize: €25,000
• 2^nd Prize: €15,000
• 3^rd Prize: €10,000

The 10 finalists within the OSVP International Grant Prix and the winner of the International Women’s Prize will also receive 6 to 9 months of business development support

International Women’s Prize

• Winner: €20,000

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Orange Social Venture Prize 2022 in Africa and the Middle East

7. Nigeria Media Innovation Program (NAMIP)

Applications are now open for the Nigeria Media Innovation Program (NAMIP) to support the editorial independence of media organisations by strengthening their financial sustainability. The Innovation Challenge is seeking applications from media organisations that are building innovative news and information products that:

Explore opportunities to reach and connect with broader audiences through digital platforms and technologies: or

Develop new revenue generation opportunities or sustainable business models?

Benefits

• Winners will be awarded up to $50,000 for their project and join NAMIP’s three-year innovation and capacity-building program.
• Successful applicants will benefit from up to $50,000 for their project and have access to a range of capacity-building activities, including mentorship and training, as well as joining NAMIP’s supportive community of like-minded organisations.

Eligibility Criteria

• You could be an existing independent media company, a non-profit, or a new venture that is just kicking off.
• They are looking for mission-driven companies and organizations passionate about trying new approaches to local news and information.
• They encourage applicants who do not have traditional journalism and media backgrounds, particularly from the areas of technology, design, and business.

For more information, visit https://www.mdif.org/our-work/initiatives/namip/

8. CBOW Project Foundation Grant Call 2022

The Children Born of War (CBOW) project foundation is inviting proposals from eligible individuals and organizations working to promote and safeguard the needs and rights of children born of war. CBOW are children where the mother is a local native and the father usually belongs to a foreign military, armed group, or e.g. a peacekeeping force. In order to promote activities to the benefit of CBOW around the world, the foundation offers a limited number of small grants to individual and/or organizations.

Funding Information

• Through grant financing of up to max. 10,000 USD

For more information, visit https://www.cbowproject.org/calls-grants/

9. 2022 World AIDS Day Grant to reduce HIV-related Stigma

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is pleased to announce the World AIDS Day 2022 grant call to support work under “Employing technology to reduce HIV-related stigma and new infections among young women”. To contribute to the creation of safe, accessible digital spaces, AWDF invites applications from women-led organizations and women’s groups for work using digital technologies such as mobile phones, social media and online apps to address stigma discrimination against women living with HIV, and to facilitate access to treatment and services.

Funding Information

This call for proposals for small grants of no more than $2,000 is open to African women led organizations with budgets of under USD100,000

For more information, visit

https://awdf.org/call-for-proposals-2022-world-aids-day-16-days-of-activism/

10. NTF V Challenge

 Applications are now open for the NTF V Challenge to support digital entrepreneurs and tech startups in sub-Saharan Africa go international – with online and onsite training, advisory and coaching focused on building digital and business skills with a focus on regional & international business generation and investment promotion.

 What you win?

• Attend VivaTech: they sponsor your flight passes
• Connect: Connection to the entrepreneurial tech ecosystem in the African country your challenge covers and beyond.
• Cash prize: Get $5,000 cash prize
• Network: Linkages with VCs and industry players from their network.

For more information, visit

https://challenges.vivatechnology.com/challenges/international-trade-centre