African startups can apply for up to $1.5 million from DIV Fund
DIV Fund is offering grants of up to $1.5 million to African startups tackling development challenges. Here's who qualifies and how to apply.
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African startups can apply for <strong>up to $1.5 million in grant funding</strong> from the Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) Fund, with applications open throughout the year.
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African startups can apply for up to $1.5 million in grant funding from the Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) Fund, with applications open throughout the year. The fund supports businesses and organisations working in low- and middle-income countries. It covers areas including healthcare, agriculture, education, climate, technology and livelihoods. The money is provided as a grant, so successful applicants do not have to give up equity in their businesses. The amount available depends on how far the business or project has progressed.
Organisations that are still testing an idea can apply for up to $200,000. Those that have already tested their product or service can apply for up to $500,000, with exceptional applications able to receive as much as $750,000. The largest grant is $1.5 million, which is aimed at projects that have already been tested and are ready to expand.
DIV wants to see that the idea works
African startups can apply for up to $1.5 million without giving up equity in their businesses.
The fund is not simply looking for startups with an interesting business idea. Applicants need to provide evidence of what they have tested and what happened as a result. For a commercial startup, this could include customer numbers, sales or results from trials.
For an organisation working with governments or public services, the evidence could show how many people have used the service, whether it produced the expected results and how much it costs to provide. DIV says it looks for projects that have the potential to eventually reach at least one million people. A startup does not need to have one million customers when it applies. It needs to show how it could take the product or service to a much larger group.
The fund is open beyond tech startups
DIV is open to startups, social enterprises, non-profits, universities, research organisations and other legally incorporated organisations.
This means African businesses working outside the usual technology sectors can also apply. A company developing an agricultural product, for example, can apply alongside a healthcare or education business if it meets the fund's requirements. The focus is on whether the product or service addresses a problem, whether there is evidence that it works and whether it can reach more people without costs becoming too high.
What can the money be used for?
The grant can be used at different points in the development of a project. This can include testing a product, carrying out further trials, entering another market or expanding a product that has already been proven. DIV also says applicants should request the amount they need for the work they are proposing rather than automatically applying for the maximum grant. That means an early-stage business may apply for $200,000 to test its product, while a business with more evidence behind it could apply for a larger amount.
Applications are open throughout the year
There is no single annual deadline for the programme. Applications can be submitted throughout the year through DIV's online application process. The fund then assesses the application and may carry out further checks before deciding whether to provide funding. For African startups, the programme provides another way to raise money without selling a stake in the business. The maximum available is $1.5 million, but access to that amount depends on how much work has already been done and what evidence the applicant can provide.
