In-Country YouthADAPT Challenge 2025 For African Youth-led MSMEs and Innovators (Up to $30,000 in funding + Mentorship)

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Applications are open for In-Country YouthADAPT Challenge 2025. The In-country YouthADAPT Challenge is calling on youth-led MSMEs and innovators to drive climate adaptation and resilience across Africa.

Africa is on the frontlines of climate change. From erratic weather disrupting agriculture to floods damaging critical infrastructure, the impacts are being felt across sectors—threatening livelihoods, mobility, and food security. We are calling on younth-led MSMEs to bring forward innovative, scalable, and locally relevant solutions that strengthen the country’s resilience to climate shocks. This Call for Solutions seeks bold ideas that address pressing adaptation needs in agriculture and infrastructure, in five countries with a focus on digital tools, green technologies, and community-driven models.

This challenge is part of the African Adaptation Acceleration Program, a joint initiative between the Global Center on Adaptation, the African Development Bank and the African Union. The AAAP goal is to increase climate finance for Africa by mobilizing $25 billion to scale up innovative and transformative actions on climate change adaptation across Africa.

In the Agriculture Sector, they seek solutions in:

Incremental Adaptation Measures: Support water conservation techniques, canopy management, and other practices to strengthen resilience in vulnerable crop zones.
Systemic Resilience Strategies: Enable agroforestry systems, climate-resilient irrigation, and the adoption of improved crop varieties to support long-term adaptation.
Transformational Change: Facilitate livelihood transitions and crop diversification in regions where traditional agriculture is no longer viable due to climate pressures.
Rainwater Harvesting: Build and deploy harvesting systems to capture and store water for use during dry periods.
Efficient Irrigation Services: Offer drip and basin irrigation solutions that optimize water use and improve soil moisture retention for tree crops.
Adaptive Drainage Systems: Design drainage infrastructure for waterlogged zones and smart irrigation solutions for regions experiencing increased aridity.
Drought-Resistant Varieties: Develop and distribute site-specific, climate-resilient crop germplasm tailored to future weather patterns.
Climate-Informed Planting: Create adaptive planting calendars and systems responsive to shifting growing seasons and temperature variability.
Early Warning and Training Platforms: Build Early Warning Systems (EWS) and deliver farmer education programs to prepare for floods, droughts, and extreme weather events.
Localized Decision Support: Provide hyper-local weather forecasts, digital advisory tools, and decision-support platforms to help farmers make climate-smart choices.

In-Country YouthADAPT Challenge Benefits

The In-Country YouthADAPT Challenge offers comprehensive support to transform your climate innovation from concept to market-ready solution with measurable impact.

Innovation Support
- Up to $30,000 in funding plus dedicated mentorship from industry experts to develop and scale your climate solution.
Dragon’s Den Pitch Event
- Exclusive platform to present your solution to investors, partners, and stakeholders in a high-visibility national event.
Accelerated Growth
- 12-month comprehensive program with workshops, technical assistance, and milestone-based support to fast-track your growth.
Networking Opportunities
- Access to exclusive investor networks, partnership opportunities, and connections with fellow climate entrepreneurs across Africa.
Investment Connections
- Direct access to our partner investor network and opportunities for follow-on funding to scale your impact.
Scale-Up Support
- Comprehensive scaling assistance including strategic partnerships, market expansion guidance, and access to follow-on investment opportunities.

Eligibility Criteria

They are looking for innovative solutions that build resilience to climate change impacts. Here’s what you need to qualify, with priority given to entrepreneurs from our focus countries.

Age Requirement
- Entrepreneurs must be between 18-35 years old at the time of application.
Business Registration
- Your business must be legally registered to operate in an African country.
Revenue Generation
- Business must have generated revenues over a minimum two-year period.
Business Plan
- Must have a SMART business plan for your climate adaptation solution.
Impact Focus
- Business must demonstrate direct impact in food security or infrastructure.
Eligible Countries
- While applications are welcome from across Africa, preference will be given to entrepreneurs from these strategic countries driving climate innovation: Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda and Tanzania