FINCA Ventures Prize Competition 2026 for early-stage African Social Entrepreneurs (Fully Funded to San Francisco, Carlifornia plus $USD 100,000 grant prize)

Program Description

The FINCA Ventures Prize Competition supports rising African entrepreneurs with bold visions, disruptive business models, or new products or technologies that can create meaningful impact for poor and low-income people in Sub-Saharan Africa. Hosted by FINCA Ventures annually, the Prize Competition is a “shark tank” style event where entrepreneurs compete for the opportunity to be awarded grant funding of up to $100,000 to further develop their social enterprises.

Eligibility Requirements

Companies must:

• Have at least one African founder
• Be a for-profit organization
• Be post-revenue (generating revenue)
• Be operational for no more than five years
• Be operational in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Address issues in Fintech for Financial Inclusion or Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems

Benefits

• For applicants invited to pitch at the events in San Francisco, FINCA will arrange for and cover the costs of travel.
• In each category, finalists will receive grant awards of up to $100,000 (depending on 1st, 2nd and 3rd place).
• Over the course of the selection process and in-person event, the FINCA Ventures team will work closely with the finalists to determine priority areas of technical assistance support and organize informational workshops (both in-person and online) that align with the needs of the finalists.

Application Process

To win a grant award, participants must be willing to travel to San Francisco (with costs covered by FINCA) to present in front of a panel of judges and attend the awards ceremony and reception.

Deadline

Application Deadline: April 10, 2026