Anzisha Prize Fellowship Program 2026 for young African Entrepreneurs (USD $140,000 Prize to grow your Business)

Application Deadline:  7 November 2025.

Applications are now open for the 2026 Anzisha Prize Fellowship Program. Anzisha is Africa’s biggest award for her youngest entrepreneurs aged 15 – 22 years, and hands out over USD $140,000 every year in business support and prize money to very young entrepreneurs from all over the continent.

By applying to Anzisha you stand a chance to win a share of grand cash prizes valued over $50 000 and business support for your business. Africa’s future lies in your hands and we want to celebrate your potential to grow your country’s economy and create jobs. 

Anzisha is a venture building fellowship program that has successfully supported and championed very young entrepreneurs for over 15 years.  The fellowship is a two-year program that celebrates and rewards business growth. During the course of the fellowship, the program will track the performance of the business and the entrepreneur. Businesses that show exemplary growth and initiative are rewarded with benefits and services such as short courses, cloud services and cash stipends. At the end of the second year, entrepreneurs will pitch their businesses and successes for a chance to win their share of prizes to the value $40 000.  The Grand Prizes are split into 4 categories

• The Job Creation Prize
• Revenue Growth Prize
• Storytelling Prize
• Integrating Systems and Processes Prize

At the end of the fellowship, the fellows will graduate and join the Anzisha alumni network. If you are a young African Entrepreneur trying to grow a small business or you’ve created something that provides you and your friends with an income – then we look forward to receiving your application. 

Eligibility Requirements

1. You must be between 15 and 22 years old with an ID document or Passport to present as evidence. Anyone born before 1 September 2003 or after 31 August 2010, will not be considered.
2. You must be a national of an African country with a business based in Africa for African customers/beneficiaries.
3. The Anzisha Fellowship isn’t for great ideas or business plans – you must have already started, and be able to prove it! Get started now and ensure you have tangible results to share before applications open.
4. Your business, invention or social project can be in any field or industry (science and technology, civil society, arts and culture, sports, etc.). Any kind of venture is welcome to apply.
5. Individuals who apply must be one of the founding members of a business (for example, 2 or 3 co-founders who started up the project together).

Anzisha Prizes

1. Bi-annual cash stipends to eligible fellows throughout the fellowship.
2. Short term educational opportunities, internships and specialised technical expert consultations for eligible fellows in Year 2.
3. Job Creation Prize – awarded to the entrepreneur in Year 2 who has created the most job opportunities since joining the fellowship.
4. Revenue Growth Prize – awarded to the entrepreneur in Year 2 with the highest business revenue growth since joining the fellowship.
5. Storytelling Prize – awarded to the entrepreneur in Year 2 who has creatively communicated and distributed their entrepreneurship story through written, oral and visual storytelling since joining the fellowship.
6. Systems of Delivery Prize – awarded to the entrepreneur in Year 2 who has effectively used systems and processes learned in the program to advance their business model since joining the fellowship.

Judging Criteria

To be selected as one of our Anzisha ventures, your business or project will be judged on the following 5 criteria:

• Is your venture established with customers and beneficiaries and are you offering value to them?
• Are you, the founder, who is leading and managing your venture?
• Is your venture demonstrating some impact already?
• Whether your venture is a for-profit business or cause-based, does it already earn revenue or already impacting beneficiaries? Is there potential to increase revenues or beneficiary reach with support from Anzisha?
• Has your venture created jobs and is there potential to create more high quality jobs?

To be selected as one of our Anzisha Fellows, you must demonstrate two important qualities:

• You are the leader of your venture and you drive both venture strategy and operations.
• You spend at least 20 hours a week (or more) on your business and plan to continue to do so after selection.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Anzisha Prize Fellowship Program