Hello Innovators! 👋

Precious here from SASIE, your partner in tech entrepreneurship.

The Difference Between Growing and Scaling

Happy Monday, everyone! As we pass the midpoint in January, the “New Year energy” is now shifting into implementation mode. This week, we examine opportunities that have the potential for scale, thanks to the tech infrastructure provided by Qualcomm, equity-free capital funding from the Mastercard Foundation, and international verification through the African Impact Challenge.

“If you’ve been building in silence, it’s time to speak up. The capital is flowing towards founders who not only have a great idea, but who have a scalable system.” Let’s get you funded.

Mastercard Foundation Ed Tech Fellowship (MEST Africa)

An entrepreneurship acceleration program meant for promising African entrepreneurs in the field of EdTech. This initiative, launched by MEST, aims to provide education and financial assistance, in addition to knowledge of learning science. This intervention targets the acceleration of positive change by providing EdTech companies with the capacity for scale and sustainability and creating measurable learning effects.

What You’ll Receive

• Equity-Free Funding: Access $60,000 equity-free funding that helps you grow your business.

• Specialized Mentorship: The provision of direct mentors in the industry to address specific challenges in the EdTech industry.

• Provide Structured Learning Curriculum - a hybrid training and development program consisting of 20-25 hours of learning every month for accelerating learning and impact.

• Market Access: Opportunities to present solutions to key stakeholders of the education sector.

• Post-Program Support: Access to consultations, investment readiness advice, and networking.

Who Can Apply?

• Location: Must be incorporated and operating in Ghana.

• Stage: Growth-stage startups, SMEs, or NGOs that have achieved product-market fit.

• Experience: Must have been in operation for at least 3 years.

• Impact: Solution must target educational outcomes (K-12, tertiary, or vocational) with the potential to reach at least 8,000 learners.

• Diversity: Teams with diverse leadership and solutions targeting underserved communities are highly encouraged.

Deadline: January 30, 2026

The Qualcomm Make in Africa: Startup Mentorship Program 2026

The Qualcomm Make in Africa is an equity-free mentorship program that seeks promising early-stage startups on the continent. Its target is companies that employ advanced connectivity/processing capabilities like 5G, AI, and IoT for innovative end-to-end solutions. The startups are provided with technical advisory, business development assistance, and intellectual property guidance for commercialization of their solutions.

What You’ll Receive

• Financial Stipend: Participating startups can avail a financial stipend of $5,000 after successful completion of the program.

• Social Impact Grant: Only one startup will win a bigger grant under the Qualcomm Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund.

• Specialized Mentorship: 1:1 mentorship with Qualcomm specialists in engineering and business.

• Patenting Assistance: Reimbursement of up to $5,000 for the application of a utility patent and IP law consultation.

• Technical Training: Master Classes on Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, 5G Networks, Intellectual Property Law.

• Visibility: Participation in the virtual finale and demo day in December 2026 to showcase your startup to industry leaders.

 Deadline: February 15, 2026

African Impact Challenge (AIC) – Health Entrepreneurship Track

The African Impact Challenge aims to support early-stage entrepreneurs focused on addressing the most pressing healthcare issues in Africa. The current year's Health Entrepreneurship (HENT) track aims to cultivate scalable, tech-enabled solutions that enhance healthcare delivery and accessibility across Africa. It's an intensive programme that aims to move you from having a "good idea" to having a healthcare solution ready for the marketplace.

What You’ll Receive

• Seed Financing: The availability of seed capital for the development and testing of your healthcare offering.

• Incubation & Mentorship: Direct interaction with experts from the industry, healthcare professionals, and entrepreneurs.

• Global Exposure: The chance to visit Toronto in Canada for the immersion program for selected finalists.

• Technical Support: Product development, market validation, and regulatory environment in the African healthcare landscape.

• “Network Access” refers to gaining access to a group of investors and partners interested in innovation in Africa.

Deadline: January 31, 2026

Africa Impact Challenge (AIC): Community Infrastructure Track

The Community Infrastructure (CI) stream of the African Impact Challenge is aimed at startups whose solutions help to fill the service infrastructure deficit. Projects in this area include, but are not limited to, projects in the realms of renewable energy, water, waste, and sustainable architecture. Startups whose solutions impact the aforementioned areas get to benefit from the African Impact Challenge.

What You'll Get

• Seed Funding: Direct capital to help pilot and develop your infrastructure solution.

• Specialized Incubation: Offering specialized incubation support that addresses the specific difficulties associated with infrastructure development in Africa.

• Mentorship: Guidance by engineers, urban planners, and experienced impact investors.

• Potential Canada Immersion: Top-performing founders will be invited for an all-expenses-paid immersion trip to Toronto, Canada.

• Ecosystem Access: Access or connection to partners who are interested in financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on the continent.

Deadline January 31st, 2026

The Theirworld Education Innovation Awards 2026

Theirworld is searching for between 10 non-profit organisations with strong growth potential to scale education innovations. The particular call is targeted at organisations using digital technologies such as smartphones, online games, or data management to enhance education, especially for disadvantaged groups of students. The programme is modelled after an accelerator programme to help pilot initiatives become "scale-ready."

What You'll Receive

• Financial Grant: The grant is of a maximum amount of £50,000 per organization.

• Expert Coaching: Personal coaching by an expert scaling coach, as well as leadership coaching for the CEOs.

• Masterclass Training Sessions: Intensive workshops organized on organizational development, stress testing solutions, partnership building, and other relevant topics

• Mentorship: There would be regular group as well as individual mentorship sessions by the scale-up

• Global Network: Exposure to theirworld’s public communication and internal investor networks.

Deadline: February 16, 2026

ICYMI

• Mozilla Foundation Fellows Program 2026

• How to Write a Business Plan - Entrepreneur

• Brand and Motion Graphic Design Lead - African Impact Initiative

• How Entrepreneurs Should Deal With Too Much 'Great' Advice

• 5 Goal-Setting Guidelines That Drive Success - Entrepreneur

• Share the wealth! Do you know another 'No Ordinary Woman' in need of a ₦100M fund or a $5,000 grant? Share this mail with her! I'll share my '2026 Grant Application Checklist' with you as my special thank you for adding to the growth of our community, if you share this email with 3 friends

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