For African college students and recent grads who wish to address urgent issues and realize innovative ideas.
The Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship gives African students and recent graduates the opportunity to access training, resources, financial support, and a network of mentors to develop their entrepreneurial skills and start building their own ventures. The 8-month program develops the exceptional entrepreneurial skillset and mindset of leaders to drive social and financial impact.
Eligibility
- They welcome enrolled students and recent graduates from all academic fields and post-secondary institutions in Africa. They assist you whether you are already working on a business or want to launch a new one.
- They’re searching for participants who are dedicated to cultivating an entrepreneurial attitude and using the tools at their disposal to launch their own businesses. The program can be finished at any pace because it is offered digitally, although the most dedicated students will put in at least 10 hours per week.
- Participants must submit assignments online by the deadline in order to go through the program rounds.
- The material of the program is presented in English. English and French-speaking mentorship may be available. Pitch documents and assignments must be written in English. Unable-to-speak-or-write-English applicants are still invited to apply and create teams with individuals who can complete all program requirements in English.
- Prospective fellows may also collaborate with their local institution to devise a plan for ensuring that they have access to university resources that will aid them in overcoming the obstacle of limited language proficiency.
Benefits
- Training
- We make the finest of our innovation hub available to those willing to learn, take chances, and give it their all.
- The Queen’s University teachers and business leaders who teach the business boot camp have decades of combined expertise in entrepreneurship and the C-Suite.
- The Massachusetts Institute of Technology established the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework, a tested, step-by-step structure for scalable startups.
- Coaching and mastery of pitches
- Throughout the course of the program, live sessions on recruiting, goal-setting, and marketing are held.
- Queen’s University offers the chance to obtain micro-credentials in entrepreneurship for successfully finishing the courses.
- Networking
- communicate with the mentors and speakers who are driving entrepreneurship and innovation in North America
- Access the Global Entrepreneurial Alumni Network of Queen
- Join a group of tens of thousands of African graduates and students who share your interests.
- In the program’s final round, fellows are partnered with business owners and leaders in the industry.
- Obtain input at critical early-stage milestones
- Financial gain
- The final step will choose up to 60 Fellows, each of whom will be given a $500 Canadian stipend.
- Possibilities to compete in the pitch competition at the end of the program for prizes worth up to $15,000 CAD.
- Possibilities to visit the Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre and make long-lasting relationships that will support the growth of your business
- Inclusivity
We think we operate best when we approach problems from a variety of angles. - We are dedicated to removing impediments to entrepreneurship and expanding the program’s inclusivity. In response to user requests, we are constantly refining and upgrading the courses.
- Examples comprise:
- We highly encourage women to apply to the program as we are aware of the additional difficulties women encounter when trying to acquire employment or start their own business (60 percent of the cohort in 2020–2022).
- The courses were modified in 2021–2022, including the ability to download materials and provide linguistic assistance for students who speak French, to make them accessible to individuals with restricted internet connection.
- All certifications and Queen’s University badges obtained during the course are free of charge, and they are all accessible online so that students may quickly share the specifics of their accomplishments.
- Using Blockchain technology, a permanent record will be preserved of the certificates and badges’ individual IDs.
- Each participant has direct access to a program coach who will support them throughout the course, as well as a network of more than 15 mentors.
Deadline: December 4th 2023
- Inclusivity
