Deadline 1st April 2020

The critical problems that are prevalent in society require creative ways to solve them. Most of these problems are racism, gender inequality, environmental decay, poverty, etc. Since social innovation requires creative ways to solve critical issues, the need for the Anzisha Prize for young African entrepreneurs in 2020 arises to this effect.

Are you a young entrepreneur in Africa whose innovative ideas have solved lots of societal problems? Do you have a successful business that you started from scratch?

The aim of the Anzisha Prize is to award young entrepreneurs who have created and implemented innovative solutions to social problems. It is also for young entrepreneurs that own successful businesses within their communities.

This Anzisha Prize is the biggest award in Africa which is given to very young and promising entrepreneurs within Africa. In fact, these young entrepreneurs get over $100,000 every year in funding to entrepreneurs from all over the continent.

About the Anzisha Prize for Young African Entrepreneurs

The Anzisha Program is a partnership between the African Leadership Academy and Mastercard Foundation whose aim is to increase the number of job entrepreneurs in Africa. On the other hand, the program will test, implement, and share new models that will identify and connect these entrepreneurs. This will help many more organizations have better collective success in creating a pipeline of entrepreneurs with the capabilities for scale.

Also, 20 finalists from across Africa will win an all-expenses-paid trip to South Africa for a two-week entrepreneurship workshop and conference at the African Leadership Academy campus on the outskirts of Johannesburg.  Winners will emerge from the finalists and they will share prizes worth $100,000 USD.

Afterward, the fellowship will offer them business consulting services to unlock growth potential in their venture. It will also link them to a global network of leaders. This will give the winners access to global speaking opportunities thereby supporting their professional development.

What are the benefits of the Anzisha Prize for the Young African Entrepreneurs?

The winners of the Anzisha Prize for young African entrepreneurs will get:

• Monetary Reward of a shared amount of $100,000
• $2,000 access to a world-renowned Entrepreneurial Leadership curriculum and training with the potential for further investment based on engagement and performance.
• $2,500 worth of rewards from consulting and mentorship services
• $2,000 worth of rewards from Global speaking events or Experts in Residence support
• $1,000 worth of rewards from Regional Indabas across the continent

Eligibility for the Anzisha Prize

Listed below are the requirements for the Anzisha program for young entrepreneurs in Africa.

• The applicant must be between 15 and 22 years of age with an ID document or Passport to show as evidence. If you’re born before November 1, 1995, or after October 31, 2003, you will not be considered.
• You must be a citizen of a country in Africa with a business based in Africa for African customers/ beneficiaries.
• The applicant must have a business that is a start-up. Remember that the Anzisha Prize is not for great ideas or business plans. So, you must have already started your business and you will have to prove it as well.
• Ensure that your business or social project is in any field or industry such as science and technology, civil society, arts and culture, sports, etc.
• You must be one of the founding members of the business venture before you can apply. NOTE: This is only applied when 2 or 3 co-founders start a business together. Only but one person can apply for the Prize on behalf of the business.

What are the selection criteria for the Anzisha Prize program?

Before you qualify as one of the Anzisha ventures, your business or project will be judged based on the following criteria:

• Already Running Venture: Is the venture founded with customers and beneficiaries? Does the venture deliver value to said beneficiaries and customers?
• Founder-led: Is the business managed by the founder?
• Impact: Has the venture showed some impact already?
• Scalability: If the venture is a for-profit business, does it already earn revenues and does it have potential increase revenues with the support of Anzisha? If the venture is a not-for-profit enterprise, does it already reach beneficiaries and does it have the potential to reach many more beneficiaries with support from Anzisha?
• Job Creation: Has the venture created some jobs and has the potential to create higher quality jobs in the future?

Additionally, to be selected as one of the Anzisha Fellows, the person must demonstrate the following qualities:

• Venture leader: Are you the leader of your business? Do you drive both the venture’s strategy and operations?
• Commitment: Do you spend at least 20 hours a week or more on your business and will you continue to do so after selection?

Important Dates for the Anzisha Prize 2020 Application Cycle

17 February 2020: Applications Open for the 2020 Anzisha Prize.
1 April 2020: Applications close.
May 2020: Phone interviews and due diligence visit with the semi-finalists, and final selection.
July 2020: Announcement of the top 50 finalists of the 2020 edition of the Anzisha Prize.
August 2020: Announcement of the top 20 2020 Finalists.
October 2020: Anzisha Business Accelerator and Anzisha Prize Awards Forum.

APPLY HERE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>