The Annual Challenge
A 3-month sprint from idea to public Demo Day. 60 → 15 finalists → 3 winners. Open to every African undergrad with a workable SDG idea.
How it works →Home / Programs / Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
We back young Africans who are turning SDG ideas into ventures that hire, serve customers, and outlast the grant cycle. The Annual Challenge is the entry point — what comes after is where the real work happens.
Mentor → Venture
Each finalist is paired 1:1 with a senior mentor for 12 months post-Challenge. We have backed 1,000+ student innovators since 2017.
See mentors →Brick-by-Brick funding
Crowdfunding rails for the most promising MVPs — small pledges from the community, no equity, no debt. Just runway to ship.
See campaigns →
Showcase
Recent venture winners.
Olivia Jolie
Africa Nazarene University · Kenya
Pine-Kazi
Nicholas Ndekei
USIU Africa · Kenya
Bio-fuel from insect-farmed waste
Rachel Kaburu
Mount Kenya University · Kenya
M-Chota solar irrigation
Cohort 2021 Finalists
15 universities across East Africa · Africa-wide
SDGs 6–11 thematic cohort
