Anzisha Venture Building Fellowship 2027 for Young African Entrepreneurs (USD $140,000 Prize)

 

Anzisha Venture Building Fellowship 2027 for Young African Entrepreneurs

Applications are open for the Anzisha Venture Building Fellowship 2027, Africa's premier support programme for the continent's most promising young entrepreneurs aged 15 to 22. This two-year fellowship offers a prize pool worth USD $40,000 at pitch stage and a total package valued at USD $140,000 to help founders grow their businesses. Fellows receive milestone-based cash stipends tied to business progress, finance-readiness support to become investor-ready, immersive shadowing with high-performing entrepreneurs, and a hybrid learning model combining self-paced digital courses with live coaching sessions. To qualify, candidates must be citizens of an African country, already running a business or project they founded and lead, and committing at least 20 hours per week to it. Applications close on 10 November 2026, with evaluation running from November 2026 to March 2027 and fellows announced in May 2027. Apply now through the official Anzisha website.

Overview

The Anzisha Fellowship is Africa's premier support programme dedicated to championing the continent's most promising young entrepreneurs. The 2027 Venture Building Fellowship is a two-year programme designed to help young founders scale their ventures through funding, coaching and hands-on learning, with a total value of USD $140,000.

Item	Detail
Programme	Anzisha Venture Building Fellowship 2027
Target group	Young African entrepreneurs aged 15–22
Duration	Two years
Total value	USD $140,000
Prize pool (pitch stage)	USD $40,000
Application deadline	10 November 2026

Eligibility Requirements

Criterion	Requirement
Age	15 to 22 years old, with a valid National ID or passport
Nationality	Citizen of an African country
Venture	Already started a business or project
Leadership	Founder actively leading the venture
Commitment	At least 20 hours per week on the venture

Benefits

Prize pool of USD $40,000. At the end of the second year, fellows pitch their ventures and show their growth over time, competing for a share of the pool across four categories: Job Creation, Revenue Growth, Storytelling, and Systems of Delivery.

Cash stipends. Fellows receive milestone-based funding tied to business progress, so capital is deployed to drive growth, accountability and disciplined execution.

Finance readiness. Targeted financial support helps fellows build strong systems and investor-ready materials, positioning their ventures for funding, partnerships and long-term growth.

Experiential learning. Fellows take part in immersive shadowing with high-performing entrepreneurs, gaining real-time exposure to decision-making, operations and leadership at scale.

Educational courses. A hybrid learning model combines self-paced digital courses with live sessions, while coaches reinforce learning through application so knowledge translates into measurable business outcomes.

Entrepreneurs looking to build their leadership profile alongside their venture may also be interested in the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Leadership Fellowship Programme and the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young Africans.

Application Timeline

Date	Stage
29 September 2026	Applications open
10 November 2026	Applications close
November 2026 – March 2027	Evaluation of applications
May 2027	Announcement of fellows

How to Apply

Applications are submitted online through the official Anzisha Fellowship website before 10 November 2026. Candidates should prepare a valid ID or passport and details of the business or project they founded and currently lead.

Visit the Official Anzisha Fellowship Webpage

Founders working in technology and innovation may also want to explore the UNECA Continental Call for African AI Innovations.