Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship 2025 for African Students & Recent Graduates

Reach us on

Applications are open for Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship 2025. The Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship provides a unique opportunity for African students and recent graduates, from any academic discipline, to develop their entrepreneurial skills, build ventures with social and financial impact, and join a global network of innovators. The eight-month virtual program is delivered by Queen’s University’s Dunin-Deshpande Innovation Centre and includes bootcamps, mentorship, pitch coaching, and potential seed funding.

Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship Benefits

They provide participants who demonstrate a willingness to learn, take risks, and commit themselves fully with the best that our innovation centre has to offer.

Business training drawing on the disciplined entrepreneurship framework (MIT origin) and delivered by expert faculty and industry leaders.
Virtual bootcamps, live workshops (marketing, goal-setting, recruiting), and micro-credentials in entrepreneurship from Queen’s University.
Mentorship, global networking, and access to alumni and industry leaders across Africa and beyond.
Financial support: Up to CAD $500 stipend for selected fellows, and opportunities to pitch for up to CAD $15,000 in seed funding.

Eligibility Criteria for Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship

They accept students and recent graduates from all academic disciplines, and from any African post-secondary institution. Whether you are already working on a business or you are looking to start something new, they can help you.
They are looking for participants who are committed to developing their entrepreneurial mindset and taking advantage of the resources provided to develop their own enterprise. The program is delivered virtually and can be completed at any pace, however the most committed participants will commit at least 10 hours per week. In order to progress through the program phases, participants will submit assignments online, adhering to strict deadlines.
The program content is delivered in English. Mentorship may be offered in English and French. Assignments and pitches must be completed in English. Prospective fellows who are unable to speak or write English are still encouraged to apply and form teams with someone who can fulfill all the requirements of the program in English. Prospective fellows may also work with their local university to come up with a strategy to make sure they are able to access university resources that will help them navigate the challenge related to language ability.

Program Timeline

Phase 1: Explore (January-February)
- 1000+ exceptional candidates receive access to a curated list of online entrepreneurship courses and work through the first 11 steps of the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework workbook.
Phase 2: Ignite (March-April)
- 180+ finalists with an outstanding commitment to the entrepreneurship process, who will have excelled at the milestones set out in phase one will be selected to join this phase.
Phase 3: Launch and Fellowship (May-August)
- Up to 60 Fellows will be selected to join DDQIC’s summer incubation program. During this phase, Fellows will get the opportunity to work on their ideas, access seed funding, and participate in weekly 3-2-1 pitch presentations about the work they are doing as they transform their ideas into scalable startups. In addition, Fellows will receive a $500 stipend and dedicated coaches and mentors from DDQIC’s Global Network of industry experts and entrepreneurs.
Graduation (August)
- Startup entrepreneurs (Fellows) will complete their incubation program at the end of August. After graduation, Fellows will continue to receive post-incubation services, support, and pitch competition opportunities as part of DDQIC’s network.