Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Deadline: July 6, 2025
The MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship is now accepting applications for the 2025/2026 Foundry Fellowship, a prestigious program aimed at supporting Africa-based entrepreneurs who are scaling solutions that foster shared prosperity across the continent. This elite program is housed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and designed for leaders who have moved beyond startup phase and are now driving high-impact ventures with regional or pan-African influence.
MIT Kuo Sharper Center Foundry Fellows join a diverse cohort of changemakers committed to addressing systemic challenges in sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, energy, and fintech through innovative, inclusive business models.
Program Details
Typically, the fellowship program includes four ecosystem tours, each lasting between five and seven days. In the spring we combine two tours, bringing the total time away from work and home to about two weeks.
Providing your own transportation to and from ecosystem tour locations and covering some of your travel expenses. Note that the fellowship program covers most costs associated with ecosystem tours, including hotels, group meals, group transport, etc.; however, fellows are responsible for their own flights to and from ecosystem tours as well as certain travel-related expenses.
Benefits
- Fully funded travel and accommodation for in-person learning experiences in Africa and at MIT, USA
- Access to world-class faculty, curriculum, and entrepreneurship labs at MIT
- Inclusion in a powerful pan-African network of accomplished entrepreneurs
- Exposure to global investors, mentors, and thought leaders
- Strategic support to help scale and deepen the impact of your enterprise
- Prestigious recognition as an MIT Foundry Fellow
SEE ALSO: EJN Climate Change Media Partnership Reporting Fellowships 2025 (Fully Funded to COP30 in Belém, Brazil)
Eligibility Criteria
The fellowship is open to Africa-based entrepreneurs who have: 1) founded and scaled a for-profit, innovation-driven company, AND 2) who are now at an inflection point and are preparing to transition into leadership in one of the following ways:
By transitioning from running your innovation-driven enterprise to taking on a new leadership role within the ecosystem; for example, you may be launching a venture capital fund, starting an accelerator, or pursuing a path in policymaking;
By founding a venture or support organization that will specifically help build innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems across Africa; or
By expanding your innovation-driven enterprise across the continent, and through that expansion, focus on ecosystem development to reach your growth goals.
Application Process and Documents Required
The application includes:
- Personal demographic information and contact information;
- Details about your role as a founder and your company;
- Essay questions on your interest in the Fellowship program, questions about your role as an ecosystem builder, and what entrepreneurial leadership means to you;
- A resume outlining your educational background, professional experience, leadership positions held, and community engagement;
- A 2-minute video (in English), summarizing the key points of your application, and;
- Two letters of recommendation from people who know you as co-founder, mentor, board member, or senior manager in your company (note: you are responsible for giving recommenders sufficient time to complete the recommendation letters before the application deadline).
Applications will be reviewed by an evaluation committee. Finalists will be invited to participate in at least one panel interview.
