Call For Applications: LEAP Africa Social Innovators Program 2024 For Entrepreneurs in Africa

Impacting Social Innovators in Africa for Global Change

The Social Innovators Programme aims to strengthen and advance youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa through capacity building, catalytic funding, and access to networks that enhance the sustainability of social entrepreneurs.

Applications are encouraged from entrepreneurs in the following focus areas: Quality education, healthcare, affordable and clean energy,  climate action, agriculture, technology, gender & social inclusion, and workforce development.

Our SIP Alumni

Over the past 10 years, we have raised over 200 social innovators across the African continent. The Social Innovators program has trained and equipped social entrepreneurs for decades who have gone ahead to scale up their enterprises and win major grants for their businesses.

We believe that social entrepreneurs are the key to Africa’s economic building and development. Our goal is to strengthen and advance youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa through training and collaborative partnerships that enhance the sustainability of the overall impact of social ventures.

Eligibility Criteria:

• All African countries
• All of the following eligibility criteria must be met by applicants in order to be accepted into the Social Innovators Programme.
• Aspiring SIP fellows must be between 18 and 35
• Aspiring fellows must be African or Nigerian citizens where the funder is insistent.
• Aspiring fellows must be one of the social enterprise’s primary decision-makers (Founder, ED, Co-Founder).
• Aspiring fellows’ enterprises must address quality education, healthcare, affordable and clean energy,  climate action, agriculture, technology, gender & social inclusion, and workforce development. Where aspiring fellow’s enterprise does not align with these specific impact areas, it must have a significant and measurable positive impact on communities or the environment.
• Aspiring fellows’ enterprises must have a significant and measurable positive impact on communities or the environment.
• Aspiring fellows must articulate the intended social outcomes and demonstrate an understanding of the target beneficiaries.
• Aspiring fellows must be social entrepreneurs in the early and mid-stage of their enterprise (2-5 years), showing potential for growth and scalability and needing access to financing and capacity-building support to scale or sustain their enterprises.
• Aspiring fellows must be able to commit their time and effort to participate fully in the fellowship, as it includes 100% mandatory attendance at workshops, mentorship sessions, and other program activities.
• Aspiring Fellows Enterprise is a mission-driven social enterprise, meaning that the sole objective is not just to make a profit but also to have a lasting impact on the community they serve.

If you meet the criteria above and are interested in participating in the 2024 cohort of the Social Innovators Programme, please use this form to tell us about your enterprise and let us know why you would like to take part in the program. All applications will go through a rigorous screening process after which the top 20 entrepreneurs will be selected.

Benefits:

The Social Innovators Programme is designed to build capacity, connections, and credibility for social innovators. This is achieved through a 5-day physical enterprise sustainability workshop, virtual Coaching, and networking Calls; Immersive one-on-one Mentoring sessions; Monthly virtual webinar sessions, and site visits.

All sessions are mandatory, exemption from a session must be made with prior notice to the SIP team. Full participation in these sessions would determine graduation from the fellowship.

There may be occasional optional sessions that highlight special and or timely opportunities. In total, participants can expect to dedicate an average of 12–14 hours per month over the course of the fellowship.

Deadline: May 29 2024

Click HERE to Apply