1. Antler Pre-seed Residency

Antler is offering pre-seed funding for founders to develop their ideas into venture-scale companies. The program is open to applicants with concepts or existing products who are willing to build their startups from Nigeria.

• Offer: Investment of $100,000+, access to over $400,000 in perks from partners like AWS and OpenAI, a global founder network, and hands-on support.
• Focus: Pre-seed stage startups.
• Geography: Open to global applicants, but the residency is based in Nigeria.
• Deadline: Applications are open for the residency starting in October 2025.
• Apply Here: https://lnkd.in/d_E3mbKH

2. MEST Africa Challenge (MAC) 2025

The Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST Africa), in partnership with Absa, has launched its 7th annual pan-African pitch competition, focusing exclusively on FinTech this year.

• Offer: The winner receives $50,000 in equity investment and an opportunity to pilot their solution with strategic partners.
• Focus: Early-stage FinTech startups.
• Eligibility: Must be active in Botswana, Uganda, Mauritius, Seychelles, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, or Ghana. Startups should be three years old or younger with a minimum monthly recurring revenue of $5,000 and have raised no more than $1 million.
• Deadline: September 26, 2025.
• Apply Here: https://apo-opa.co/40P2V41

3. CEI Africa Smart Outcomes Fund (SOF)

The Clean Energy and Energy Inclusive Fund for Africa (CEI Africa) is inviting applications for its Smart Outcomes Fund. The initiative aims to support the deployment of Productive Use of Energy (PUE) technologies in rural and peri-urban areas.

• Offer: A share of a $5.75 million portfolio budget, consisting of $5.55 million in grants and $200,000 in technical assistance.
• Focus: Off-grid enterprises deploying stand-alone renewable power source PUE equipment.
• Geography: Enterprises operating in Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Uganda, and Senegal.
• Deadline: September 2, 2025.
• Apply Here: https://zfrmz.com/38NBM80UxjPw7Twm1EpC

4. NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator

NBA Africa, in partnership with ServiceNow and ALX Ventures, has launched the second edition of its startup accelerator to support Africa’s technology ecosystem.

• Offer: Financial support and a 10-week mentorship program for the top 10 selected startups, with five prize-winning companies receiving further funding.
• Focus: Early-stage startups in the sport and creative industries.
• Geography: Open to startups across Africa.
• Deadline: August 29, 2025.
• Apply Here: https://TripleDoubleAccelerator.NBA.com

5. CEA Investment Fund

The CEA Investment Fund is seeking to fund innovative entrepreneurs, SMEs, and startups across Sub-Saharan Africa through its venture-building platform, Outlier Venture Lab.

• Offer: Equity investments ranging from $500,000 to $15 million across various growth stages (Seed, Development, Growth, Infrastructure). Benefits include flexible funding, technical assistance, and network access.
• Focus: Clean Energy, Climate-Smart Solutions, and Sustainable Infrastructure.
• Geography: Sub-Saharan Africa, with priority given to Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
• Deadline: No deadline is specified, suggesting applications may be accepted on a rolling basis.
• Apply Here: https://lnkd.in/eUuSjPDt