Hello Innovators! 👋

Precious here from SASIE, your partner in tech entrepreneurship.

Happy new month!

As we step into a new month, I’m bringing you a fresh collection of opportunities designed to propel your business forward. This week’s lineup is packed with chances for innovators and entrepreneurs to secure funding, join exclusive accelerator programs, and gain global recognition. Whether you're a startup leader, a young innovator, or a nonprofit director, these opportunities are your gateway to the resources, mentorship, and support you need to make a lasting impact.

Let's make this month a catalyst for growth.

• Swiss Accelerator Invites Young Founders from Africa and Latin America to Compete for 60k in Equity-Free Funding

• HackTheDivide: A Complete Scholarship Nairobi Tech Competition

• European Innovation Council Unveils €500,000 Pre-Accelerator to Fast-Track Deep-Tech Innovators

• Salesforce Launches New Accelerator to Empower Nonprofits with AI and $300k in Flexible Funding

• Calling All Innovators in Digital Energy: Power the Future of Africa!

Swiss Accelerator Invites Young Founders from Africa and Latin America to Compete for 60k in Equity-Free Funding

A three-month fellowship in Switzerland with courses, mentorship, and possible equity-free investment.

Do you have a prototype and a clear vision as a young African founder? The START Fellowship & Accelerator 2026 offers the chance to be fully immersed in the startup culture of Europe for three months in Switzerland. This program is specifically set to prepare you as a young entrepreneur such as yourself for investments by exposing you to seasoned investors and giving you personalized coaching, mentoring, and a strong network. It's the best environment to have your business model ironed out and ready to scale.

What You'll Get

• Mentorship & Coaching: Receive expert guidance from successful investors and entrepreneurs.

• Funding Opportunities: Compete to secure up to 60k in equity-free financing.

• Exclusive Access: Pitch your business to key leaders and connect at high-end events across Europe.

• Full Support: The fellowship covers your apartment rent, health insurance, and food allowance for the duration of the fellowship.

Deadline: September 14, 2025.

HackTheDivide: A Complete Scholarship Nairobi Tech Competition

An opportunity for young African entrepreneurs to pitch solutions and win a trip to Italy for an incubation experience.

Are you a young African digital entrepreneur with a solution for challenges like youth employment, digital inclusion, or labour mobility? The HackTheDivide Competition is a complete scholarship Nairobi hackathon that invites you to co-design inclusive tech solutions. This two-day activity is not just a contest; it's a chance to collaborate with professionals, share ideas with fellow innovators, and present your idea to a panel of seasoned professionals. This is your moment to turn an idea into an implementable solution with global support.

What You'll Get

• All-Expenses-Paid Trip to Nairobi: Your airfare, accommodation, and meals for the two-day hackathon will be fully covered.

• Incubation in Italy: The winners receive a trip to Italy entirely sponsored for a tailored incubation program, along with continued mentorship and access to Europe's innovation network.

• Expert Mentorship: Work together with industry professionals to refine your solution and business plan.

Who Can Apply?

This is an open competition for young digital innovators between the ages of 18-35 from 25 nations in Africa. You ought to be working on solutions in the fields of digital inclusion, education, decent work, migration, fintech, or data innovation.

 Deadline: September 7, 2025

European Innovation Council Unveils €500,000 Pre-Accelerator to Fast-Track Deep-Tech Innovators

A pilot program to empower early-stage entrepreneurs in physical, biological, and digital technologies.

Is your early-stage deep-tech startup working within a Horizon Europe Widening participant country? The EIC Pre-Accelerator 2025 is a pilot funding initiative to help you get access to up to €500,000 of grant funding. This initiative is for single-person SMEs producing game-changing innovation and need help validating their technology, commercialising their business model, and getting ready for major investment. It's an amazing opportunity to catapult your development from TRL 4 to TRL 6 and increase your market readiness.

What You'll Get

• Significant Grant Funding: Up to €500,000 to cover 70% of qualifying costs.

• Investment Readiness: Personalized assistance to get ready for sizeable funding rounds like the EIC Accelerator.

• Market Validation: Assistance to test your technology and refine your business model.

Who Can Apply?

This invitation is for one-person SMEs from Widening nations of Horizon Europe. Your business must be developing a deep-tech innovation in the physical, biological, or digital domains. You must have a vision for market readiness, and your innovation must have the potential to create a new market or transform an existing market by at least TRL 4.

Deadline: September 16, 2025.

Salesforce Launches New Accelerator to Empower Nonprofits with AI and $300k in Flexible Funding

A 6-month program with funding, technology, and mentorship to drive social impact faster through AI.

Is your non-profit organisation prepared to harness AI to improve its mission? The Salesforce Accelerator: Agents for Impact 2025 is a distinctive programme designed to empower social-impact organisations to work with AI to create change. This initiative offers flexible funding, cutting-edge technology, and pro bono expertise to help you develop customised AI agent solutions, boosting productivity and allowing your staff to focus on what truly matters. most.

What You'll Receive

• Substantial Funding: Receive $200k to $300k flexible capital.

• Technology & Support: Receive discounted and donated Salesforce products, and one year of reduced-hours consulting from Salesforce employee volunteers.

• Expert Coaching: A customized 6-month program of one-on-one and group coaching by Salesforce experts in topics like AI and product design.

Who Can Apply?

This accelerator is open to US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits or their international equivalents. Your organization must have a vision for AI and Salesforce technology deployment, be data-ready, and be willing to commit to the entire 6-month program to apply.

Deadline: September 10, 2025.

L'Oréal Launches Sustainable Innovation Accelerator for Innovators Worldwide

A 12-month mentorship and pilot project exposure initiative for sustainable innovations with a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 7 or higher.

Are you a startup entrepreneur with a proven, deployment-ready innovation addressing critical issues of sustainability? The L'Oréal Groupe Sustainable Innovation Accelerator Programme 2025, in partnership with the University of Cambridge, is searching for you. This 12-month initiative offers an opportunity to co-create pilot projects with L'Oréal, with direct access to scale your solution with a global beauty leader. You will be offered group acceleration support, one-to-one mentorship by global leaders, and peer-learning sessions.

What You'll Get

• Expert Advice: Gain a 12-week group acceleration program and up to 12 hours of custom mentorship.

• Scale Your Impact: Potential to co-create and pilot your innovation with L'Oréal.

• Networking: Connect to a network of global leaders and peer innovators committed to sustainability.

Who Can Apply?

This is accessible to scaleups, SMEs, startups, and large companies worldwide. To be eligible, your innovation must be at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 and higher and must be one of seven priorities, including low-carbon technologies, water resilience, nature-based solutions, alternative ingredients, phasing out fossil plastic, circularity, and sustainable business models.

Deadline: September 30, 2025.

ICYMI

• Solving Problems for Customers Isn't Enough Anymore — Here's the Shift That's Defining the Next Era of Business - Entrepreneur

• Why Setting Boundaries Makes You More Valuable at Work - INC

• I've Built 3 Multimillion-Dollar Businesses — and Here's My Simple Secret to Success - Entrepreneur

• Building Your Organization’s Next Generation of Leaders - HBR

• Soft Skills Matter Now More Than Ever, According to New Research - HBR

• AICTE Offers AI Internship with Stipend ₹15,000/month

• Join UNCDF & Work Remotely as a Programme Management Specialist IPSA-10

• Microsoft Offers Virtual Internship, Deadline: 04-Sep-2025

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