The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme

Deadline: 1 March 2020
Open to: entrepreneurs from across Africa, either with new startup ideas or existing businesses
Benefits: business training, mentoring, a non-refundable USD 5,000 of seed capital and global networking opportunities

Description  

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) —  an African private-sector-led philanthropy dedicated to empowering African entrepreneurs — will begin accepting applications for the 2020 cohort of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme, on January 1, 2020.

Last year, the Foundation received about 216,000 applications, with 42% coming from women entrepreneurs, from every country on the continent.

Established in 2010, The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) is the leading philanthrophic institution in Africa championing entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs across the continent. The Foundation’s long-term investment in empowering African entrepreneurs is emblematic of Tony Elumelu’s philosophy of Africapitalism, which positions Africa’s private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the continent. The Foundation’s flagship initiative, the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme, is a 10-year, $100 million commitment to identify, train mentor and fund 10,000 entrepreneurs, capable of changing the face of business across Africa.

According to the Foundation’s 2018 Impact Report, 70% of the total number of businesses in its alumni network were still operational two years after benefitting from the Programme. The report also identified an increase of 189% revenue generated and 197% increase in the number of additional jobs created by beneficiaries post-graduation from the Programme, as well as a 100% commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Eligibility

The TEF Entrepreneurship Programme is open to entrepreneurs from across Africa, either with new startup ideas or existing businesses of less than 3 years existence, operating in any sector.

Benefits 

Successful applicants will join the over 9,000 current beneficiaries, from 54 African countries, and receive business training, mentoring, a non-refundable USD 5,000 of seed capital and global networking opportunities.

How to Apply?

All applications must be submitted ONLINE through the application platform of the TEF Connect . You must complete an application form by answering a series of mandatory questions.

For more information please visit the official website.