Deadline Date: March 31, 2026
Applications are now open for the BPA Oasis Investing Accelerator Program, offering support and guidance to design and implement sustainable ventures and ecological solutions within a real-world island economy.
The program focuses on real-world experience, cross-disciplinary venture building, high-trust network development, deep local engagement, and career growth coaching.
Participants move beyond classroom theory and simulations, experimenting with sustainability transitions and “Oasis Investing” frameworks in a complex island economy. They master the intersection of scientific rigor, community development, and venture capital, learning to design business models that are profitable because they restore the environment rather than harm it. Participants join a curated cohort of 20 professionals from NGOs, investment, and marine science sectors, engaging with faculty of marine biologists and social entrepreneurs with deep ties to Zanzibar. Unlike typical retreats, participants work directly alongside Zanzibari communities and local enterprises as co-designers, gaining insight into building solutions that respect local norms and ecological thresholds. The program also provides on-demand, free career growth coaching to help participants embrace intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, and systemic dimensions of professional development.
The all-inclusive, two-week program costs USD 8,000 per person, with need-based scholarships available to promote diversity. At the conclusion, the cohort and local leaders vote on the most innovative solutions, with selected projects receiving seed funding of up to USD 50,000 to move from concept to pilot.
Ideal applicants include investment professionals looking to structure deals with ecological returns, conservationists and marine biologists seeking market-based solutions that scale sustainably, social entrepreneurs aiming to co-design ventures with immediate access to seed funding, policy or NGO leaders wanting to govern ecological thresholds responsibly, and island innovators committed to addressing challenges in resource-limited, biodiverse, and climate-vulnerable economies.
For more information, visit BPA.
