Entries open for Commonwealth Startup Fellowship

This six-month programme is designed to fuel high-potential startups through intensive in-person and online learning. You’ll gain essential skills, tailored coaching, and access to a powerful global network to help you overcome barriers and scale up your business.

One founder from each selected team will participate in-person, while co-founders and team members can access the remote portion, connecting with global mentors and industry experts from across the Commonwealth.

Select participants will be invited to a Capstone in London, UK, where they will have the chance to pitch to investors and industry leaders.

Benefits

• Two-week in-person Bootcamp:
  • Launch event – Accra, Ghana
  • Workshops, covering topics such as leadership, scaling a business, building a team, fundraising and sales.
  • Exploration of the Ghana entrepreneurial ecosystem
  • 1-2-1 business coaching
• Remote Content:
  • Monthly 1-2-1 business coaching
  • Monthly peer to peer meetings
  • 1-2-1 expert meetings
  • Monthly venture review sessions
  • Monthly programme check-ins

Funding Information

• In addition to the training and mentorship, participating teams can apply for financial support from the Fellows Fund, a pot of £35,000 in equity free grants. This funding is available to cover business related costs to help you develop and grow your startup.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this programme you will:
  • Refine business plans, scale operations, implement lean practices, and develop go-to-market strategies to drive sustainable growth.
  • Identify and develop personal leadership styles, enhance team dynamics, address skills gaps, and promote diversity to build effective teams.
  • Understand and navigate local and global entrepreneurial ecosystems, identify key players, and leverage partnerships to support venture growth.
  • Develop compelling brands, effective sales strategies, and robust financial forecasts to achieve business goals and secure funding.
  • Build resilience, prevent burnout, foster team well-being, and cultivate a supportive entrepreneurial network for long-term success.
  • Articulate goals, measure progress, and develop actionable plans for continuous personal and professional development beyond the programme.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible for these Fellowships, prospective Fellows must:
  • Be of at least graduate level.;
  • Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible low- or middle-income Commonwealth country;
  • Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country;
  • Be fluent in written and spoken English.
  • Not have undertaken a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship within the last five years (at the time of taking up the award);
  • Be available to undertake their fellowship from the prescribed start date;
• In addition, they must demonstrate:
  • Evidence of innovation, in terms of product, service, or market
  • Active development for at least six-months and demonstrable commitment from team members
  • A working minimum viable ‘product’, service and/or prototype
  • Significant evidence of customer engagement or traction in the form of early sales or pre-sales . proof of interest or demand, signed contracts or other relevant evidence.

For more information, visit Imperial Enterprise Lab.