Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship 2022/2023
The Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship gives you the confidence, resources, knowledge, network, and financial support to build a startup with an impact.
For African students and recent grads with a desire to solve pressing problems and bring entrepreneurial ideas to life, the program is split into three online courses where you will learn the foundations of entrepreneurship, receive virtual coaching, develop your own business idea, and demonstrate your commitment in order to advance to the next course.
Program Phases
This Fellowship project is divided into 3 phases:
- Phase 1: This phase runs from December 2021 to February 2022. The total number of participants is 1,000 from all the universities participating in the African Mastercard Foundation Scholars program. 1,000 participants will be selected based on the application that is closing on November 30, 2021 at midnight your local time. This phase consists of experiential entrepreneurship training and idea exploration work from step 0-11 of the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework.
- Phase 2: This phase runs from February 2022 to April 2022. The total number of participants or ideas is 30. These 30 participants or ideas will be selected based on the final assignment delivery of phase one. The most feasible, strongest submissions solving real challenges in their regions, countries, Africa or globally will the ones to be shortlisted in this phase. This phase consists of experiential entrepreneurship training and idea exploration work from step 12-24 of the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework.
- Phase 3: This phase runs from April 2022 to August 2022. The total number of participants or ideas is 15. These 15 participants or ideas will be selected based on the final assignment delivery at the end of phase two. The most feasible, strongest submissions solving really challenges in their regions, countries, Africa or globally will the ones to be shortlisted and recommended to be the 2022 Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellows. This phase consists of the company creation process, financial incentives, mentorship, pitch presentation and many more resources.
Benefits
- Best-in-class Training
- Business bootcamp delivered by Queen’s University faculty and industry leaders who bring decades of combined entrepreneurship and C-Suite experience
- The Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework, a proven step-by-step framework for scalable startups developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Pitch coaching and mastery
- Certificate awarded for 100% completion of DDQIC’s essential entrepreneurship training modules
- Global Visibility and Network
- Liaise with mentors and speakers leading innovation and entrepreneurship in North America
- Access a Global Network of Queen’s entrepreneurial alumni
- Join a cohort of thousands of like-minded students and recent grads from across Africa
- Mentorship
- Fellows are matched to industry leaders and entrepreneurs in the final phase of the program
- Receive feedback at important startup milestones
- Financial Support
- 15 Fellows will receive a stipend of $500 CAD
- Opportunities to pitch for funding in Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre seed funding competitions
Eligibility
- Open to African students and recent grads with a desire to solve pressing problems and bring entrepreneurial ideas to life.
- All applicants and participants must be able to participate and complete the program in English. If someone doesn’t speak or write English, they are still encouraged to apply, but they must form a team with someone who can fulfil all the requirements of the program in English.
How To Apply
Applications are due November 30, 2021 at midnight your local time.
- Course 1 – Explore Entrepreneurship December 2021 – February 2022
- Course 2 – Ignite Entrepreneurship March 2022 – April 2022
- Course 3 – Launch Entrepreneurship May 2022 – August 2022
For more information, visit Jim Leech Fellowship
Application Deadline: November 30, 2021
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