The Business Incubation Program is a 12-month opportunity focused on helping tech founders in Africa to succeed with their entrepreneurial ventures. Startups entering the Business Incubation Program have a proof-of-concept prototype for their product and a preliminary market assessment. The goal is for startups to leave the program with a revenue generating product that is positioned to successfully compete for additional investment they will need to scale.

Person giving presentation

Eligibility criteria

Eligible startups must be less than two years of age, and have the following when they apply:

  • A tech-enabled solution with a clear value proposition for an identified market
  • A proof-of-concept prototype for the proposed product that has the potential for profitability, inclusivity, and scalability. Preliminary market assessment and a compelling lean business model canvas for their business.
  • Two co-founders who are willing to dedicate at least 40 hours of work per week to their company and all programmed incubation activities
  • Preferably be a registered company

We will not consider applications from startups with the following criteria: 

  • Marketplaces (E-commerce, middleman platforms)
  • Late stage startups which have raised significant capital and earn consistent revenue
  • Startups without potential to generate jobs
  • Non-tech enabled startups
  • Startups without functional prototypes
  • Startups that have been through more than two similar programs in the past 12 months

Please review the evaluation criteria before applying

Group of people talking

Program benefits

  • $40,000 USD of financial support from CMU-Africa
  • Twelve months of expert consulting services in: product development and market research, legal and compliance requirements, marketing and sales, and finance and accounting.
  • $5,000 USD in Amazon Web Services credits and $1,500 USD in Amazon technical support services
  • Introductions to angel investors, venture capital firms, accelerators, and CMU-Africa's partners in Africa and Pittsburgh
  • Access to business development workshops
  • Working space and supporting services at our incubator in Kigali Innovation City
  • Opportunity to participate in conferences, networking events, and exhibitions
  • Access to CMU's global mentorship network
  • Connection to startups at CMU's Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship in Pittsburgh

Learn more