Applications are now open for the third cohort of the Mastercard Foundation Fund for Alumni Start-ups in Transition (FAST) Program, offering eligible young entrepreneurs access to up to USD $15,000 in funding. The program is designed to help alumni move from ideas to action by supporting early-stage businesses with funding, training, and mentorship.
The FAST Program is open to alumni of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), African Leadership Academy (ALA), Anzisha Prize, and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. It targets aspiring entrepreneurs and founders who are still in the early stages of building their ventures. The goal is to strengthen their capacity, improve their business models, and help them grow sustainable enterprises.
Through FAST, selected participants will receive up to USD $15,000 in funding to support their business activities. In addition to financial support, they will benefit from structured business development training and mentorship from experienced professionals. The program also connects founders to a supportive network of like-minded entrepreneurs and ecosystem partners who can provide guidance and collaboration opportunities.
FAST is implemented through a partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and leading organizations across Africa, including CCHub Nigeria, MDF Global, Concree, Scale Up, Savannah Innovations Lab, the Center for Enterprising Organizations, Inkomoko, and the Africa Leadership Academy. These partners work together to deliver enterprise support and practical training tailored to the needs of early-stage founders.
The program is open to eligible alumni who are either aspiring entrepreneurs or already running young businesses. Applicants who are nearing graduation may receive a provisional acceptance letter and, after completing their studies, join the next cohort.
To ensure broad access, the application and program are available in English, French, Portuguese, and Arabic. This allows alumni from different regions to participate fully in the opportunity.
Interested applicants are encouraged to apply before the deadline of March 20, 2026. To apply, aplications can be submitted through the official link: https://asu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dhuR0OKBq5ooCN0
