Deadline: 12th June 2026
The Social Innovators Programme (SIP) is a 9-month fellowship that recognises the transformative potential of social innovation in Africa. The programme is designed to address systemic challenges and promote sustainable development by providing early-stage social entrepreneurs with the essential skills, resources, knowledge and support needed to overcome barriers to growth and development.
Core Learning Areas
- Social innovation and enterprise design
- Market access and growth strategy
- Funding models and capital strategy
- Financial management and controls
- Impact measurement and outcome harvesting
- Strategy, governance, and team effectiveness
- Pitch development and stakeholder engagement
- Outstanding Fellow Awards
- Mr Seyi Bickersteth Prize
- Mr Innocent Chukwuma Prize
All of the following eligibility criteria must be met by applicants in order to be accepted into the Social Innovators Programme.
Citizenship/Residency:
You must meet one of the criteria below:
You are a citizen of an African nation OR
You are a permanent resident of an African nation.
Geographic Focus: Your current and future enterprise is geographically located in a local community in an African nation.
Leadership Experience: You have founded or co-founded a social venture(s) with at least one (3) year of impact.
Age: You will be between 18 – and 35-years-old as at April, 2026.
Language Proficiency: You are professionally proficient in English (spoken and written). applications must be completed in English.
Program Commitment: You can commit to fully participating in the entire duration of the program between April to October, 2026.
Applicants must be the founder or co-founder of a venture that has not previously participated in the LEAP Africa Social Innovators programme, and only one co-founder per enterprise may apply.
Participants should have no more than three absences in order to complete the program and graduate from the fellowship.
For more information and application.
