Young Africans aged 15-20 who have developed and implemented innovative solutions to challenges facing their communities are invited to enter for the Anzisha Prize.

The Anzisha Prize is an initiative of the African Leadership Academy Centre for Entrepreneurial Leadership in partnership with the MasterCard Foundation.

The Anzisha Prize is a celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa. The Prize recognizes the transformative role of youth-lead change on the African continent.

Rationale: Africa’s future will be determined by entrepreneurial leaders across all sectors.

Africa’s ability to pull itself out of poverty will be dependent on indigenous entrepreneurs building enterprises that address real pain points and create employment opportunities for millions.

The Anzisha Prize fosters an entrepreneurial spirit so that it may be celebrated in African communities.

These entrepreneurial leaders will overcome constraints to change the paradigm and create value on the continent.

Criteria

Each applicant will be judged on the following:

• Impact: efforts have a demonstrated, measurable and positive outcome
• Ingenuity: applicant takes a new and better approach to a pressing problem in his or her community
• Scalability: solution has the potential to be replicated in communities facing similar challenges

Worth of Awards

Twelve to fifteen finalists from across Africa will win an all-expense paid trip to South Africa to participate in a weeklong entrepreneurship workshop and conference at the African Leadership Academy on the outskirts of Johannesburg.

The grand prize winners, selected from these finalists, will share prizes worth $75,000 USD, which they may use to take their projects to new heights.

Thanks to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) and it’s Donor Circle for Africa (DCfA) there is a special award of $10,000 to enhance growth of promising entrepreneurs in Africa who are working on renewable energy projects.

Important Dates

March – April: Anzisha Prize information sessions will take place in multiple cities. Check Prize Tour page for tour dates

1 May: Application deadline. We strongly encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible. We cannot evaluate applications that arrive after the deadline.

July: Finalists will be notified.

August: Anzisha entrepreneurship workshop and conference – winners will be announced.

For more information and scholarship applications, see: Anzisha Prize for Young African Entrepreneurs