The UNDP Timbuktoo Pan-African MineTech Exploration Technology Pre-Incubation Programme 2026 for African MineTech startup.

Application Deadline:  16 October 2026.

Applications are actually open for the 2026 UNDP Timbuktoo Pan-African MineTech Startup Incubation Programme. The timbuktoo MineTech Hub, along with the United Nations Development Programme and ecosystem companions throughout Botswana, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe, invites college students, graduates, researchers, engineers, innovators, technical professionals and early-stage entrepreneurs to show actual world mining and mineral exploration challenges into sensible know-how options.

You don’t want a completed product or a longtime firm. A clearly outlined concept or resolution for how know-how can be utilized to resolve for the problem briefs shared by the varied UniPods is sufficient to apply. 

From a problem to an answer

This problem led pre-incubation programme helps innovators as they transfer from an issue and an early concept to a validated resolution and a prototype, with Opportunities to interact trade stakeholders, technical consultants and potential customers alongside the way in which. It is constructed round one frequent problem:

How may we develop accessible, cost-effective and domestically related applied sciences that enhance how mineral sources are recognized, characterised and focused?

Teams reply to nation problem statements developed with authorities and trade stakeholders, so each resolution is grounded in an actual want.

What are you able to construct?

Solutions will be {hardware}, software program or a mix of each, and may deal with how exploration knowledge is collected, processed or interpreted.

• Mineral exploration and geological knowledge
• Remote sensing and surveying
• Geophysical and geochemical applied sciences
• Mineral identification and evaluation
• Artificial intelligence and predictive analytics

Solutions will be {hardware}, software program or a mix of each, and may deal with how exploration knowledge is collected, processed or interpreted.

Requirements

Multidisciplinary groups of two to five members, all aged 18 to 35, and all based mostly in the identical nation, which have to be Botswana, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia or Zimbabwe, so the group can work collectively on the devoted UniPod. Your group ought to:

• Be made up of scholars, current graduates, researchers, engineers, technical professionals, innovators or early-stage entrepreneurs.
• Bring complementary abilities throughout a minimum of two related disciplines, together with technical experience resembling Computer Science, Data Science, Mining Engineering, Geomatics or Software Engineering and different related disciplines.
• Have a clearly recognized drawback in mineral exploration, mining or associated environmental or operational actions, and an preliminary technology-based concept to handle it.
• Define the position of every group member and decide to the programme all through.
• Provide a sound nationwide ID for every group member.
• Female candidates are strongly inspired to apply.

Benefits

• Technical mentorship from consultants, universities, geological establishments and mining sector practitioners.
• Industry engagement and validation to check whether or not your resolution meets real consumer wants.
• Prototype growth help by means of UniPods, MineTech Hub services and related innovation infrastructure.
• Entrepreneurship and enterprise readiness help, together with enterprise fashions, market validation and routes to commercialisation.
• Networking with mining stakeholders, researchers, know-how consultants, traders and innovation organisations.

Selected groups might also compete for seed funding to construct low constancy prototypes and proof of idea options, and excessive potential groups could progress to MineTech Hub incubation.

Selection Procedure:

• Validation and pre-incubation (10 weeks): groups take a look at the issue, customers and enterprise case whereas validating their options.
• Pitch and choice: based mostly on drawback relevance, know-how potential, enterprise validation and group readiness.
• Concept growth and prototyping: chosen groups construct low constancy prototypes, supported by seed funding. The programme shall be delivered in a hybrid format, with on-line workshop classes protecting each technical topics and enterprise growth providers. Teams may even be required to make use of the UniPods for hands-on prototyping and growth of their options.
• Technical assessment: options are reviewed with technical consultants and trade stakeholders, and excessive potential groups are thought-about for MineTech Hub incubation.
• Intellectual property help: chosen group leaders obtain sensible steering on defending and managing mental property.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the UNDP Timbuktoo Pan-African MineTech Startup Incubation Programme