Deadline: August 29, 2025
The Sustainable Innovation Seed Accelerator is an 8-week program for seed-stage startups building solutions across Africa, as part of UNDP’s timbuktoo initiative, and is designed for founders developing technology-enabled approaches in agriculture, mobility, the built environment, and energy.
The focus is agriculture, mobility, built environment, energy, climate adaptation, energy transition, food systems and agri-tech, health systems, population resilience, digital public infrastructure and financial inclusion, gender equity and care economies, education and edtech, biodiversity and nature tech.
The program, hosted at the GreenTech Hub in Nairobi, combines four weeks in person and four weeks hybrid, supporting founders in refining their commercial strategies, strengthening technical foundations, and connecting with a strong ecosystem of mentors, peers, and local and global networks. Participants will benefit from sector-specific mentorship, local and global networking opportunities, and a supportive Global South community. The curriculum includes hands-on guidance from sustainability and growth experts, workshops, bi-weekly roundtables, fireside chats, and a 3-day retreat focused on leadership, wellness, team building, and impact-driven discussions.
Applicants must be building at the seed stage for the African market, have launched or recently introduced their product, operate a tech or tech-enabled business model, be mission-driven towards sustainable impact, and be able to join the in-person Nairobi sessions. The program will culminate in a final showcase event where startups present their innovations and growth outcomes.
The priority application deadline is August 29, 2025, with the final application deadline on September 19, 2025. Selected participants will join the program from October 27 to December 19, 2025.
For more information, visit 500 Global.
