Funding and Opportunities for Startups and Entrepreneurs May 2025

A new month means a fresh slate of possibilities for founders building across Africa’s tech ecosystem. Whether you are refining your MVP, scaling operations, or seeking your next funding round, the opportunities below are designed to accelerate your journey. From equity-free accelerators to grant competitions and investment-readiness support, May 2025 offers excellent programs to take your startup to the next level.

Below is a curated list of high-impact opportunities you should consider applying for right now.

Africa Tech Week 2025 Pitching Den

The Africa Tech Week Pitching Den is a premier startup competition designed to showcase Africa’s most innovative tech entrepreneurs. This event provides founders with the opportunity to present their ideas to a panel of top investors, industry leaders, and influential stakeholders. Finalists will pitch live at the Sentech Africa Tech Week Conference in Cape Town, gaining exposure to a global tech audience. The competition offers an array of prizes, including a grand prize worth R295,000, media coverage, mentorship, and networking opportunities.

Key benefits:

• Compete against Africa’s brightest tech minds in front of a powerhouse investor panel.

• Gain unmatched exposure by pitching at the Sentech Africa Tech Week Conference in Cape Town.

• Win a grand prize worth R295,000, including:

  • A 12-month high-value media package.

  • A speaking slot at ATW 2026.

  • A feature on Topco’s Business Unusual podcast.

  • 3 startup consulting courses from Havaic.

• Receive pitch training, mentorship, and investor connections.

Deadline: May 15, 2025.

Apply At: Africa Tech Week Pitching Den

Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa 2025

Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa is a three-month, equity-free hybrid accelerator designed specifically for Seed to Series A stage startups operating across the African continent. This program is built to support growth-focused tech startups solving real-world challenges using scalable technology. Founders receive personalized mentorship, product support from Google engineers, access to global VC networks, and leadership coaching from successful entrepreneurs and industry leaders.

Key Benefits:

• Up to 350,000 USD in Google Cloud credits

• Deep mentorship from Google and industry experts

• Tailored workshops focused on product development, scaling, and hiring

• Networking with a global community of founders and investors

Deadline: May 9, 2025

Apply At: Google Accelerator Africa

Founder Institute Cape Town Cohort

Founder Institute, one of the world’s largest pre-seed accelerators, is launching its first Cape Town cohort. Designed for early-stage tech founders, this intensive program helps entrepreneurs validate their business ideas, build traction, and prepare to raise funding. The curriculum is delivered by local and global mentors who are founders, CEOs, and investors, ensuring practical guidance and tough but supportive feedback throughout the journey.

Key Benefits:

• Structured startup-building curriculum over 14 weeks

• Accountability and weekly deliverables that drive real progress

• Access to a global network of 35,000+ alumni and mentors

• Post-program fundraising support and investor introductions

Deadline: Rolling admissions; early applications are encouraged

Apply At: Founder Institute Cape Town

Greentech Africa 2025 by Village Capital

Village Capital’s Greentech Africa 2025 accelerator is focused on supporting early-stage startups developing climate and sustainability solutions for the African continent. The program equips founders with investment-readiness tools and connects them with potential funders. If your business is working on renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, waste management, or water security, this program is designed for you.

Key Benefits:

• Tailored training on business modeling, impact measurement, and investor engagement

• Personalized mentorship from sector specialists

• Exposure to regional and global impact investors

• Opportunity to be selected for follow-on investment from Village Capital’s affiliated funds

  
  

Deadline: May 9, 2025

Apply At: Greentech Africa Program

Visa Accelerator Program Africa

Visa’s Accelerator Program is now open to fintech startups based in Africa, providing them with a platform to co-develop, scale, and commercialize their solutions with Visa’s support. The program is designed for companies solving key challenges in the digital payments space, including embedded finance, cybersecurity, open banking, and cross-border transactions. Selected startups will receive dedicated mentoring and potential access to Visa’s vast network of banking and merchant partners.

Key Benefits:

• Technical support for product integration and scaling

• Direct mentorship from Visa executives and fintech experts

• Access to Visa’s global clients, partners, and platforms

• Co-marketing and growth opportunities across Visa’s markets

Deadline: Ongoing (rolling applications)

Apply At: Visa Accelerator Africa

GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize 2025

The GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize is one of Africa’s leading agritech competitions, offering recognition and funding to youth-led businesses that are transforming the continent’s food systems. Open to entrepreneurs aged 18–35, the program seeks disruptive ideas in food production, processing, distribution, and logistics. Winners receive cash prizes, exposure to investors, and support through the Generation Africa ecosystem.

Key Benefits:

• Total prize pool of 160,000 USD split between two top winners

• Access to industry mentors and agribusiness networks

• Global exposure through Generation Africa events and media

• Pitch training and business development resources for all finalists

  
  

Deadline: June 10, 2025

Apply At: GoGettaz Prize

Tips for Success in These Opportunities

Stand Out with a Clear and Compelling Vision: When applying, take the time to articulate your business idea or venture’s purpose, impact, and scalability. Ensure your application highlights:

• The problem you are solving and why it matters. Demonstrate a deep understanding of the market gap and the significance of your solution.

• How your solution is innovative or unique. Clearly differentiate your product or service from competitors.

• The potential for growth and how the program's resources will help you achieve it. Provide a roadmap for scaling and expanding your business.

• Supporting your application with data, achievements, or testimonials. Use metrics, traction, or customer testimonials to strengthen your case where applicable.

Why These Opportunities Matter

At FIT, we are committed to empowering entrepreneurs with the resources they need to transform their ideas into successful businesses. These programs align with our mission to support innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable growth. By participating, startups gain critical mentorship, funding, and industry connections that can significantly accelerate their journey.

What’s Next?

Explore the opportunities listed above, visit the application links, and apply before the deadlines. Stay engaged with ScaleX for more updates on funding, accelerator programs, and business growth resources. Let’s work together to build a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem!