Nigerian businesses in priority industrial sectors with clear growth plans and employment generation potential. Manufacturing and agriculture are historically the strongest sectors. BOI looks for viable business plans, adequate collateral, and demonstrated operational capacity. The bank is increasingly active in technology, creative industries, and renewable energy.

Kenyan green enterprises and environmental innovations with commercial viability

Innovative technology startups in Morocco with potential for regional and international scale. Strong emphasis on projects addressing local market needs in sectors like AgriTech, HealthTech, CleanTech, and FinTech. Morocco is positioning itself as Africa's tech gateway to Europe — startups that can leverage this bridge are particularly attractive.

High-growth tech startups in Africa. Standard deal: $100K for 7% equity. Fast process. They value speed of execution and large addressable markets.

Women entrepreneurs and rural enterprises

Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology. 12-month fully-funded Entrepreneur-in-Training program in Accra. Also runs incubator for post-training and external startups. 100+ companies incubated. Funded by Meltwater Foundation. One of Africa's most prestigious entrepreneurship programs. $100K seed funding for top graduates.

Mercy Corps humanitarian organization venture arm. Invests in startups serving vulnerable populations. $10M+ deployed in 40+ companies. Unique frontier market access through Mercy Corps field operations (40+ countries). Climate resilience and refugee inclusion focus.

Healthcare professionals from African and developing countries committed to building capacity in critically underserved medical specialties. Strong preference for women doctors and healthcare workers. For award programs: African creatives using art, film, fashion, and music to raise awareness about health and social issues (infertility stigma, diabetes, hypertension, girl education, GBV, FGM).

Major US foundation. $8B+ endowment. MacArthur Fellows ('Genius Grants'). Significant Africa presence especially in Nigeria (on-the-ground since 1989 — criminal justice, higher education, conservation). Climate Solutions initiative ($1B+). Also funds investigative journalism in Africa.

Proven founders with deep market understanding. They back repeat founders and strong operators. One of Africa's earliest institutional VCs — they understand the ecosystem deeply.

Global impact investment leader with $2.8B+ from investors. Fund IV closed at $1.15B. Invests in companies reaching low-income consumers in Africa and Asia — financial services, health, and climate. 559M consumers reached through portfolio companies. 22% annual growth across portfolio. $1.3B+ invested in African startups specifically. Launched $500M climate fund with EIB backing.

Scalable tech across Africa. Strong founding teams solving real problems. They value market size and founder resilience. Co-investment model with 238 LPs means your deal gets broad exposure.

Zero-interest crowdfunded loans for individual entrepreneurs ($25-$15K) and larger risk-tolerant loans for social enterprises (up to $2M). 96.4% repayment rate. 3M+ borrowers served in 90+ countries. Kiva Social Enterprises fills the 'missing middle' — too small for banks, too large for microloans.

Climate-smart businesses with revenue and impact potential

Kenyan entrepreneurs with climate-smart technologies and business models that address local climate challenges. KCIC prioritizes solutions in renewable energy, water management, agribusiness, waste management, and commercial forestry. They value working prototypes, clear paths to revenue, and potential for job creation.

Tech companies solving food, agriculture, and climate challenges in Africa. Impact measurement is core — you must articulate your theory of change.

Transformative partnerships that strengthen health systems, grow inclusive economies, and support African leadership. Prioritizes impact for women, girls, young people, and persons with disabilities. Increased Africa commitment by A$10M in 2025 to A$25M total, partly to fill gaps left by government aid cuts. Key backer of the Momentous Fund for assistive technology in Africa.

Johannesburg-based angel network. Monthly pitch events. Angel syndicate model. Growing membership of SA business leaders and entrepreneurs.

JICA values Japanese technology co-creation partnerships and measurable development outcomes. For startup programs (QUEST/NINJA), they seek registered entities with strong teams building innovative, scalable businesses across Africa. For ODA channels, JICA works primarily through government-to-government partnerships on infrastructure, health, agriculture, and education.

Jack Ma Foundation competition for African entrepreneurs. $1.5M total prizes. Top 10 finalists. $300K grand prize. All 54 African countries. All sectors. TV-style pitch finale. 50,000+ applications per year.

AICS funds development projects in its 23 African priority countries through periodic calls for proposals aligned with the Mattei Plan's 5 pillars: education, health, energy, agriculture, and water. The agency prioritizes projects that involve Italian-local partnerships and emphasize sustainability. AICS has recently expanded its Africa network to 10 offices, signaling deepened engagement. Active 2026 calls cover Great Lakes crisis response, Kenya mental health, Ethiopia environment, Burkina Faso agriculture, Kenya food security, and Chad health systems.