Empowering Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Africa 2025

Empowering Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Africa 2025 is Phase Two of an initiative to strengthen climate innovation across Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. 

In 2024, Village Capital, in partnership with Norway, through Norad – the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, supported 14 Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs)/Ecosystem Builders through training and capacity building (read about Phase One here). This year, the mission is to continue to support impact-creating founders and strengthen regional ecosystems by collaborating with five of these locally-led Ecosystem Builders.

The aim is to co-deliver five tailored investment-readiness programs, supporting 150 sustainability-focused startups across the above-mentioned markets in Sub Saharan Africa.

Eligibility requirements

• Have legal incorporation and operate as a for-profit entity in at least one of the following countries or have intentions to expand into them: Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, or Tanzania.
• Have a market-based tech solution that tackles one of the following challenges: Climate Adaptation, Renewable Energy, Blue Economy, or Food Security.
• Be in compliance with local fiscal and business law.
• Have at least two full-time founders based in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, or Tanzania.
• Have at least a minimum viable product (MVP) and raised less than USD 1 million in equity.
• Have meaningful customer or business validation (not limited to revenue, it can also be successful pilot studies, number of users, and/or strategic partnerships).

How to apply

Ghana | Kenya | Malawi | Mozambique | Tanzania
 

Benefits

Advice
Participate in a virtual investor forum and mock board meetings with representatives from financial institutions, corporations, experienced entrepreneurs, and investors who can help startups scale their solutions.

Continued Learning
Access to live and asynchronous sessions tailored to a virtual learning environment to help their companies identify early milestones and prepare for their next round of capital (if relevant) or significant expansion.

Financial Analysis
Access to an investment analyst who will coach startups 1:1 on building a financial model, identifying unit economics, and using financial metrics to drive both business and investor diligence.

Media Exposure
Exposure to Village Capital’s program website and other communications collateral.

Mentorship
Ability to meet with and receive mentorship from prominent investors, potential strategic partners, customers, and other funders.

Networking
Access to a network of mentors and funders.

Timeline

10 March 2025: Applications open
30 April 2025: Applications close
Mid-May 2025: Cohort announcement (Pre-accelerator)
September 2025: Cohort announcement (Investment-readiness program)
Virtual workshops (Pre-accelerator)
Cohort 1: 19 May  – 11 July 2025
Cohort 2: 20 June – 15 August 2025
Virtual workshops (Investment-readiness program)
Cohort 1: 1 September 2025 – 1 January 2026
Cohort 2: 1 February 2026 – 1 June 2026

Deadline: 30 April 2025