The Challenger Digital and Green Accelerator Programme (Challenger D&G) 2026 for Early-stage Southern African startups – Opportunities For Africans

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Application Deadline: : 14 November 2025

Applications are actually open for the 2026 Challenger Digital and Green Accelerator Programme. The Challenger Digital and Green Accelerator Programme (Challenger D&G) is an modern, multi-country initiative devoted to fostering impactful digital, inexperienced, and round options for sustainability throughout Southern Africa. The programme straight addresses pressing regional and international challenges – local weather change, meals and water safety, ecosystem resilience, power transition, inexperienced mobility, good constructed environments, waste administration, and environmental knowledge capability.

Funded by Team Europe companions (Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Estonia) and the European Commission and delivered by a coalition of high enterprise ecosystem gamers (Civitta, mLab, DevelopmentAfrica, Latitude59, Startup Wise Guys), Challenger D&G is structured to spice up investment-readiness, sensible enterprise abilities, worldwide market connections, and fundraising confidence for a brand new cohort of startups.

Programme Scope and Strategic Areas:

• Digital and inexperienced improvements for local weather adaptation and resilience
• Food safety and climate-smart agriculture (precision farming, traceability, satellite tv for pc knowledge, blockchain)
• Water useful resource administration (IoT monitoring, leak detection, round options)
• Clean power entry (photo voltaic microgrids, demand forecasting, pay-as-you-go platforms)
• Green mobility and logistics (e-mobility, carbon monitoring, route optimization)
• Sustainable constructed atmosphere and building (digital twins, inexperienced supplies, good useful resource administration)
• Green finance and carbon markets (ESG platforms, microloans, tokenized carbon credit)
• Citizen engagement and knowledge for sustainability (AI, crowdsourced apps, gamified eco-literacy)

Eligibility Requirements

• Early-stage startups (≤ 5 years outdated), registered in South Africa, Namibia, or Botswana
• Strong desire for youth, feminine, and/or black-owned enterprises
• Solutions should match a minimum of one Challenger D&G focus space and be prepared for superior pilot or market entry (TRL 4–7 minimal)
• Detailed downside assertion, answer define, competitor evaluation, enterprise mannequin, route-to-market/sustainability plan, group bios, danger evaluation, and pitch video required
• Mandatory paperwork: CIPC registration, shareholding construction (if relevant), firm profile, tax certificates, ID for major contact, concise group CVs

Benefits

• Virtual acceleration (Nov 2025–May 2026) centered on enterprise mannequin refinement, scaling methods, and management coaching
• One-on-one and peer mentorship from Africa/Europe’s high entrepreneurs, traders, and technical specialists
• Training to excellent fundraising technique and pitch; direct hyperlinks to enterprise funders and company companions
• Market visibility by way of occasions (Latitude59 in Nairobi and Estonia), international platforms, media and associate networks
• Cohort neighborhood entry to a like-minded community of startups, shared studying, regional and worldwide connections

Competitive advantages:

• Up to 25 startups chosen for tailor-made acceleration
• Top 3–6 startups will attend Latitude59 in Nairobi (Dec 2025); high 3 will go to Latitude59 Estonia (May 2026)
• €15,000 (Euro) grant prize pool awarded to the highest 3 startups at programme finish

Programme Timeline:

• Applications open: 21 October 2025
• Application deadline: 14 November 2025
• Programme launch/onboarding: 21 November 2025
• In-person bootcamp: 8–9 December 2025, Pretoria/Johannesburg
• Programme closes: May 2026

How to apply:
Submit full proposals (together with pitch video and required docs) by way of the F6S portal: https://www.f6s.com/digital-green-tech-innovation-ap/about
For queries: [email protected]

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Challenger Digital and Green Accelerator Programme