Anzisha Prize (Anzisha Venture Building Fellowship)
Anzisha Prize (African Leadership Academy and Mastercard Foundation)
Africa's flagship award and multi-year fellowship for very young entrepreneurs aged 15-22 who already run a business in Africa. Free to apply; fellows get cash stipends, coaching and venture-building support. 2027 intake opens 29 Sept 2026 and closes 23 Oct 2026.
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Eligibility
- Who can apply
- Africa
- Education required
- None
- Age
- from 15 up to 22 (Aged 15-22 with a valid ID or passport as evidence (exact date-of-birth window published in each year's application guide))
- Fields
- Entrepreneurship
- Language
- Application guide available in English, Arabic, French and Portuguese
- Residency
- Business must operate in Africa and serve African customers or beneficiaries
- Also required
- Must be a founding member of the business applied with
- Business must already be operating with evidence of customers, sales or beneficiaries (registration not required)
- Any field or industry, including social projects
About this opportunity
The Anzisha Prize, a partnership between African Leadership Academy and the Mastercard Foundation, 'identifies and supports young African entrepreneurs aged 15-22 who are already building and growing real businesses'. Fellows join 'a multi-year programme designed to strengthen their ventures, accelerate growth, and increase their ability to create jobs', with milestone-based cash stipends, coaching, team-building and financing support. Earlier cycles advertised cash prizes worth over USD 50,000.
Applicants must be citizens of an African country with a valid ID or passport, aged 15-22, and a founding member of a business operating in Africa for African customers or beneficiaries. Ideas alone do not qualify: 'you must have already started your business and can show customers, revenue, or beneficiaries', though registration is not required. Any sector is eligible. Applying is free.
- Level
- Any level
- Where
- Multiple countries
- Duration
- Multi-year fellowship
- Difficulty
- High · about 3 weeks to prepare
Funding
Funding varies
- prize money
- training
Milestone-based cash stipends during the fellowship plus multi-year business support; previous cycles offered a share of cash prizes valued over USD 50,000. Amounts for the 2027 cycle not yet published.
What you will need
- Passport or national ID
- Other documents
Valid ID or passport; evidence of business activity (documents and images listed in the annual application guide, available mid-2026).
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