British Council Ecosystem Partner for the IAU Enterprise and Innovation Challenge 2025 (Up to £60,000)

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Applications are open for British Council Ecosystem Partner for the IAU Enterprise and Innovation Challenge 2025. The British Council is seeking an experienced partner in enterprise and innovation development to design and deliver a capacity-strengthening program.

This structured yet adaptive program will involve mentoring for 16 university student teams (five students each) from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. These selected teams are working on projects in digital enterprises, green enterprises, social enterprises, or a combination thereof, and their ventures are currently at various stages of development.

The selected partner is expected to:

Establish a baseline understanding: Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current stage of development, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis) for each selected student-led enterprise/innovation project.
Develop tailored support frameworks: Create individualised and actionable frameworks for each project designed to accelerate its progress towards commercialisation.
Enhance commercialisation potential: Significantly improve the likelihood of successful commercialisation for participating student projects.
Build student capacity: Equip student teams with practical knowledge, tools, and methodologies essential for navigating the innovation and entrepreneurship journey.

Funding Details

Maximum value of grant :£60,000
Number of grants expected to be funded in this call: 1

Eligibility Criteria for IAU Enterprise and Innovation Challenge

This application has been discussed and agreed between both lead partners who are aware of this project.

Each proposal must have both:

one Lead institution from the UK
one Lead institution from the Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria or South Africa; and
The proposal must be prepared jointly by leaders from both institutions but submitted by the Lead from the UK Institution.

The application form and supporting documents have been completed in English.

The partnership can include in their proposals Associated Partners (from both Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria or South Africa and the UK) affiliated with:

Higher Education providers
Not-for-profit research institutions, establishment and organisations
TVET/FE providers
Other education organisations/charities/foundations/membership bodies
Not-for-profit organisations, including Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)
For-profit/commercial organisations, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
Government organisations
Employer organisations and industry bodies
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Social Enterprise organisations

For-profit non-education organisations are not eligible to receive any grant funds, except to cover travel-associated costs. The proposal must clearly define their contribution to achieving call objectives.

How To Apply for IAU Enterprise and Innovation Challenge

Form a partnership: one lead institution in the UK + one lead institution in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria or South Africa. Include any associated partners as needed.
Prepare proposal in English. Include project plan, SWOT for selected student teams, frameworks for support, evidence of capability.
Gather required documents: budget template, CVs, support letters confirming institutional capacity and commitment.
Submit via Good Grants platform before 17:00 GMT on 31 October 2025.

If you require any access adjustments or have any additional support or learning needs in order to submit the application, please contact them prior to the deadline on SSAhighereducation@britishcouncil.org

Click Here to Apply and more details

Application Deadline: 31 October 2025.