AFDs: SIBC 2026 East Africa Edition of the Social and Inclusive Business Camp

SIBC 2026 East Africa Edition of the Social and Inclusive Business Camp | The SIBC has open it portal to supported nearly 350 social and environmental entrepreneurs across Africa in scaling their businesses, measuring social performance, and preparing for fundraising. Follow the guideline and apply below

Read: South African Students National Treasury Bursary Scheme 2026

About The Program:

This is a hybrid support program, which includes:

• 6 months of online coaching on a dedicated platform, combining interactive virtual classes with international experts and self-paced learning resources.
• 1-week intensive bootcamp held in Nairobi (Kenya) — a unique immersion designed to deliver a transformational experience and multiply your impact, with a participation to the Africa-France Summit.
• Mentoring from an experienced entrepreneur, former participant to the SIBC program, with additional support from experts within your ecosystem or AFD Group.
• Networking opportunities, with integration into an active international community of nearly 350 impact-driven entrepreneurs, as well as direct connections with investors and financial partners during the Bootcamps.

The program is structured around 5 key themes:

DIAGNOSE

Entrepreneurs will question and challenge their social and/or environmental mission, clarify their vision and purpose, and use diagnostic tools (such as the Business Model Canvas, Scale Me Up…) along with personalized coaching.

INSPIRE

This module encourages entrepreneurs to draw inspiration from nature and the principles of life (respecting environmental limits, fostering inclusivity, adopting collective approaches). It also focuses on building leadership and entrepreneurial posture, with special attention to women entrepreneurs.

SCALE 

Preparing for growth is a crucial step to ensure the sustainability of a project. This may involve geographic expansion, increasing social and/or environmental impact, or developing new partnerships. Entrepreneurs will access tools to measure/evaluate their impact and strategies to communicate effectively about their project.

FINANCE 

Which funding for which needs? How to hybridize your business model? What are investors and donors looking for? These are some of the key questions explored in the “Finance” module.

COOPERATE

This block will help entrepreneurs develop their projects by harnessing the power of the collective. It will enable them to identify the right partners in a complex ecosystem, leverage collective intelligence to generate innovative ideas, and pitch their impact-driven projects effectively to investors and funders.

Program details:

• A mixed cohort of 50 project leaders – 10 from each of the 5 countries (Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia)
• The first edition focused on ENERGY TRANSITION, with 5 eligible sub-sectors : access to energy (on-grid/off-grid), clean cooking, renewable energy, energy sufficiency, and energy efficiency.
• A strong emphasis on maximizing the social and environmental impact of projects.
• A reinforced presence in all five program countries, with local partners actively supporting entrepreneurs alongside online training.
• An in-person Bootcamp in Nairobi (Kenya) to meet peers from the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem, experts, investors, and scale up action capacity.

Eligibility criteria:

• The applicant must be the founder, co-founder, executive director, or at least in a position to make strategic decisions for the organization.
• Participants should ensure reliable internet access to follow the training under good conditions.
• Participants must commit to dedicating sufficient time to the program between January 2026 – June 2026 (indicative), with an average of ~2 hours per week.
• Awardees are expected to remain actively engaged within the SIBC community and to support future cohorts (e.g., mentorship).

Tentative timeline:

• October 17th – November 30th: Application period.
• January 26th 2026 (11:59 PM EAT): Application deadline (extended).
• January 25th – January 30th: Selection process.
• February 2nd: Announcement of selected participants.
• February: Program kick-off.
• Mid-may 2026: Bootcamp in Nairobi, Kenya, with participation to the Africa-France Summit.

Application process:

The application must be completed on this platform and consists of:

• An application form to complete (questions about the project leader, the company, its structure, its impact and its scaling strategy)
• Proof of the legal registration of the company (registration document, statutes, etc.)
• Financial statements of the last 3 years (or if younger company, since its creation)
• Detailed CV of the project leader
• If desired, a pitch-deck or video-pitch
• Any other relevant supporting documents.