AU Enterprise Africa Network Fellowship 2026/27

Contexte

The African Union Commission has opened applications for Cohort 2 of the Enterprise Africa Network (EAN) Fellowship Programme 2026/27, a flagship startup acceleration initiative designed to strengthen micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) across Africa.

The programme will select 100 fellows from all 55 African Union Member States and provide structured training, expert mentorship, intellectual property support and market access opportunities. The second cohort aims to help participating enterprises generate USD 2 million in new attributable revenue and create 500 new jobs.

Applications are open to eligible youth- and women-led enterprises operating in African Union Member States.

The EAN Fellowship is implemented by the African Union Commission’s Department of Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals (ETTIM). It is designed to support promising African businesses with the skills, networks and market opportunities required to grow within the continent and beyond.

The inaugural 2024/25 cohort trained 56 fellows from 30 African countries and generated more than USD 1 million in deals and contracts.

Building on that experience, Cohort 2 will expand participation to 100 enterprises while placing greater emphasis on enterprise growth, cross-border trade, market access and job creation.

Missions et responsabilités

• Participate in 12 months of structured training delivered through 10 modules tailored according to sector and enterprise tier.
• Receive expert mentorship through African Union partners, giving entrepreneurs access to experienced professionals who can provide guidance on business development and growth.
• Gain access to the African Trade Observatory (ATO) and AfCFTA market intelligence tools, helping enterprises better understand regional trade opportunities and market conditions.
• Participate in continental events and engage with potential markets and business partners.
• Tier 1 and Tier 2 fellows will participate in virtual market-entry sessions covering 10 AfCFTA pilot countries.
• Tier 3 fellows will participate in business-to-business matchmaking sessions.

Profil recherché

• Applicants must operate and be registered as a formal business entity in an African Union Member State.
• Businesses must have been operating for at least two years and employ a minimum of three full-time staff members.
• The African Union is particularly encouraging applications from women-led enterprises, businesses from underrepresented African regions and enterprises from small island Member States.
• The programme is intended for established businesses with demonstrable operations rather than newly formed startups without a track record.
• Eligible sectors (Products Cluster): Manufacturing, Agro-processing, Creative industries.
• Eligible sectors (Services Cluster): ICT and digital, Fintech, Health, Logistics and transport.
• Fellowship Tiers: Tier 1 – Growth (35 places for enterprises operating 2–5 years, 3+ employees, demonstrable market traction); Tier 2 – Expansion (40 places for enterprises operating 5–10 years, 10–30 employees, cross-border ambitions); Tier 3 – Scale-Ready (25 places for enterprises operating 10+ years or investor-ready profile).
• At least 40 places reserved to ensure representation across all five AU continental regions; at least five places allocated to enterprises from small island Member States.
• Exclusions: Current and former staff members of the African Union Commission, employees and representatives of EAN institutional partners, staff members of Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and graduates of previous EAN Fellowship cohorts are not eligible to apply.

Conditions et avantages

• Programme de 12 mois de formation structurée en 10 modules.
• Mentorat d’experts via les partenaires de l’Union Africaine.
• Accès à l’African Trade Observatory (ATO) et aux outils d’intelligence de marché de la ZLECAf (AfCFTA).
• Opportunités de participation à des événements continentaux et mise en relation avec des marchés et partenaires potentiels.
• Sessions virtuelles d’entrée sur le marché pour 10 pays pilotes de la ZLECAf (Tiers 1 et 2) et sessions B2B (Tier 3).
• Objectif d’aider les entreprises participantes à générer 2 millions USD de nouveaux revenus attribuables et à créer 500 nouveaux emplois.

Dossier de candidature

• Online EAN Fellowship application form including information about business registration status, sector, years of operation, number of employees, trading countries, revenue range, IP status, and access to formal finance.
• A written pitch of up to 800 words explaining the enterprise, its primary market challenge, and what they hope to achieve through the fellowship.
• One document demonstrating access to finance (such as a bank statement, mobile money statement or equivalent documentation) required only for shortlisted applicants.

Comment postuler

Applications must be submitted online through the designated EAN Fellowship application form. Applicants should provide accurate information throughout the process, as misrepresentation will result in immediate disqualification and permanent ineligibility for future EAN Fellowship cohorts.

Date limite de candidature : 30 September 2026

Notification des résultats : October 2026

Démarrage du programme : November 2026

Référence / Procédure : Visit official website to apply. Applications opened on 31 July 2026.