Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship 2027 for Young African Students and Recent Graduates
Overview
Spread the love G Add us as a preferred source on Google » The Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship is open to African students and recent graduates who want to build practical entrepreneurial skills. This 8-month virtual program is delivered by the Dunin-Deshpande Innovation Centre at Queen's University.
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Complete your profile once. Get relevant alerts before deadlines pass. Get WhatsApp Alerts Participants gain training, mentorship, networking, micro-credentials, and access to pitch opportunities.
In addition, selected fellows may receive a stipend and compete for prizes of up to $15,000 CAD.
Application
Deadline
1 December 2026 Tell Me About The Award: The Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship is an 8-month virtual entrepreneurship programme for African students and recent graduates who want to develop their entrepreneurial skills and turn ideas into ventures. The programme is delivered by the Dunin-Deshpande Innovation Centre at Queen's University and provides entrepreneurial training, mentorship, networking, pitch coaching, micro-credentials, and opportunities to access
Funding
and pitch competitions. Participants progress through different stages, moving from exploring and validating an idea to developing a prototype and preparing to launch and scale a venture.
Which Fields are Eligible? Students and recent graduates from all academic disciplines are eligible. The programme focuses on: Entrepreneurship Business development Innovation Startup development Social and financial impact Marketing Recruiting Business modelling Product development Venture scaling Type: Entrepreneurship fellowship and virtual business incubation programme.
Who Can Apply? Applicants must: Be a student or recent graduate . Be from a post-secondary institution in Africa . Be from any academic discipline . Be willing to dedicate at least 10 hours per week to their entrepreneurial journey.
Be committed to developing their entrepreneurial mindset. Be ready to make full use of the programme's resources and mentorship. Applicants can already be building a business or be at the stage of exploring a new idea.
How Are Applicants Selected? The programme has three main phases: Phase 1 - Explore (January-February): More than 1,000 candidates receive access to entrepreneurship courses and work through the first 11 steps of the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework.
Candidates demonstrate their commitment by completing training and progressing their ideas. Phase 2 - Ignite (March-April): More than 180 finalists who perform strongly in Phase 1 are selected to continue.
They complete additional courses, develop their business ideas, and pitch their ventures. The most advanced and promising ideas become finalists for the fellowship.
Phase 3 - Launch and Fellowship (May-August): Up to 60 Fellows are selected for the summer incubation programme. Fellows develop their ventures, access seed funding, participate in weekly pitch presentations, and receive dedicated coaching and mentorship.
Which Countries Are Eligible? The programme is open to students and recent graduates from post-secondary institutions across Africa . The source does not provide a specific country-by-country list.
Where Will the Award Be Taken? The programme is fully virtual and can be completed at the participant's own pace during the 8-month programme cycle, provided…
This is a shortened overview. Open the official site for full eligibility, documents, and how to apply.
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