Contests

2015 Anzisha Prize for Africa’s top young entrepreneurs ($USD75,000 and Win an all-expenses paid trip to South Africa)

by lanredahunsi February 21, 2015

Application Deadline: 15 April 2015

Entries are now open for the Anzisha Prize, the premier award for Africa’s top young entrepreneurs. Over US$75,000 in cash prizes will be shared among 12 of the continent’s most exciting social and business entrepreneurs between the ages of 15 and 22 years old.

Hosted by the African Leadership Academy (ALA) in partnership with The MasterCard Foundation, the Anzisha Prize celebrates initiative and innovation. Now in its fifth year, the Prize has grown into one of the most sought after awards for young entrepreneurs on the continent.

‘Anzisha’ means ‘initiate’ in Swahili, and that is what the Prize is about. Africa’s solutions lies within its youth, and the Anzisha Prize is looking for young leaders between the ages of 15 and 22 who are using entrepreneurship to solve problems in their communities and inspire change.

Eligibility:

You must be between the ages of 15 and 22 years old.
Your business or project must be up and running. The Anzisha Prize is not for great ideas or business plans – you must have already started, and be able to prove it!
Your business, invention or social project can be in any field or industry (science and technology, civil society, arts and culture, sports, etc.). Any kind of venture is welcome to apply.
Groups or teams can apply (for example, maybe you have 2 or 3 co-founders who started your business or project together), however you must choose one person to apply for the prize, on behalf of the group. This individual must be one of the founding members.

Applications will be judged on the following criteria:

Impact – demonstrated, measurable and positive social or economic return.
Ingenuity – a new or improved approach to a challenge or market opportunity.
Scalability – the potential to grow into significant businesses or projects.
Leadership Potential – the qualities to be a role model for Africa’s youth.

Prize

Stand a chance of winning a share of $75,000 to grow your business.
In addition to cash prizes, past winners and finalists have since benefitted from media exposure, funding, access to business networks and continuous support through mentorship.
The 12 finalists also win an all-expenses paid trip to South Africa to be a part of a week-long entrepreneurship workshop at the prestigious African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg.

Important dates:

Semi-finalists will be chosen on a rolling admissions basis, so get your application in early! If you have a very strong application, we could be visiting you very soon!

15 March 2015: Early Bird applications reviewed.
15 April 2015: Application Deadline.
June/July 2015: Semi-finalist due diligence visits and and final selection.
August 2015: Anzisha Prize Finalists for 2015 announced.
November 2015: Anzisha Prize Week & Awards Ceremony.

Apply Now for the 2015 Anzisha Prize for Young Entrepreneurs

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the 2015 Anzisha Prize for Young Entrepreneurs