FNF Afri GreenPitch Challenge 2026 For Young Innovators and Entrepreneurs (Up To ~$20 000 Cash and In-kind Prizes)

Reach us on

Applications are open for FNF Afri GreenPitch Challenge 2026. Westerwelle Startup Haus Mombasa and GreenCape, in partnership with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF), invite innovators and entrepreneurs with economically viable green economy solutions to enter the 2026 FNF Afri GreenPitch Challenge. This exciting Afri edition expands the original GreenPitch Challenge, running annually since 2017 in South Africa, into Southern and East Africa.

Enter your pre-growth (registered, trading and sales-generating – looking for funding) green business solution to stand a chance of pitching to a panel of esteemed judges and investors at “shark tank-style” networking events, to be hosted in Kenya (Nairobi) and South Africa (Cape Town) in September 2026.

FNF Afri GreenPitch Challenge Benefits

GreenCape and Westerwelle Startup Haus Mombasa, supported by FNF Africa, offer their support to innovators and entrepreneurs in the green economy landscape
The winner and finalists of the 2026 FNF Afri GreenPitch Challenge will be awarded a range of cash and in-kind prizes to the value of ~$20 000 (Southern Africa).

Competition prizes

The winner and finalists of the 2026 FNF Afri GreenPitch Challenge will be awarded a range of cash and in-kind prizes to the value of ~$20 000. These will include but are not limited to:

Cash prize (Winner)
A full-day workshop to all finalists on investment strategies hosted by RMB Ventures (All finalists).
Mentoring support
Access to a network of potential funders to accelerate your business idea.
More to follow …

Eligibility Criteria for FNF Afri GreenPitch Challenge

Innovators and entrepreneurs with economically viable green economy business solutions in the following sectors: Circular economy and waste, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, sustainable mobility, water and wastewater.
The business idea has to be pre-growth (registered and trading, with sales – looking for series A funding).

Entry Requirements

Sectors
- Your green economy solution should be placed in one of the following green economy sectors: Circular economy and waste, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, sustainable mobility, water and wastewater.
Business phase
- Your green economy solution needs to be in at least the pre-growth (registered, trading and sales-generating – looking for funding) phase.
Geographic location
Your business can be based within the following countries:
- Botswana
- eSwatini
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Namibia
- South Africa
- Tanzania