Deadline Date: May 25, 2026
The African Union is pleased to announce its Food and Energy Sovereignty Challenge to support breakthrough innovations that can strengthen Africa’s food and energy sovereignty through resilient, industrial-scale and technology-driven solutions.
The challenge focuses on Innovation for Food Sovereignty and Innovation for Energy Sovereignty through approaches such as industrial production of bio-fertilizers and organic pesticides, preservation of indigenous and climate-resilient seed varieties, circular bio-economy systems, solar-powered cold chains, AI and IoT-based agricultural tools, modular renewable energy systems, advanced battery and green hydrogen solutions, electrification for transport systems, smart grids and peer-to-peer energy sharing platforms, and renewable thermal solutions for agro-processing and manufacturing industries.
The African Union Commission aims to encourage industrial transformation by supporting African technological innovation capable of building self-sufficient food and energy systems across the continent. The challenge seeks to mobilize high-growth SMEs, startups, and deeptech companies with market-ready solutions that can be scaled for continental impact.
Successful applicants will receive industrial scalability support to expand production capacity and strengthen continental manufacturing output. They will also gain market access support for national and regional procurement opportunities, networking opportunities with venture capital firms and institutional investors, participation in official African Union trade and innovation missions, and visibility through publication in the Africa Food & Energy Sovereignty Catalog 2026.
No specific funding amount has been stated. However, selected innovators will receive extensive industrial support, market access opportunities, investment matchmaking, and institutional visibility to help scale their solutions across Africa.
The challenge is open to citizens of African Union Member States leading organizations that are at least 51 percent owned by African citizens. Eligible entities must be legally registered and must present solutions with a Technology Readiness Level of 6 or higher, meaning the solutions must already have proven prototypes or active market presence. Applications must focus strictly on either Food Sovereignty or Energy Sovereignty as outlined in the challenge tracks.
For more information, visit African Union.
