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| The MIT Foundry Fellowship 2025/2026 offers a fully funded leadership program for Africa-based entrepreneurs at the Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship. |
Applications are now open for the 2025/2026 MIT Foundry Fellowship. The MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship
was
founded on the belief that entrepreneurs and their market-driven solutions are
critical to advancing sustainable prosperity across global growth markets.
The Foundry Fellowship is an
eight-month, transformative experience for accomplished entrepreneurs who are
committed to leading the acceleration and interconnection of Africa’s
innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
The fellowship is designed for
principled leaders who seek to catalyze systems transformation and inclusive
growth across Africa. Applicants choose to apply to the fellowship for the
following reasons:
They are seeking to identify
ways to support the growth and evolution of entrepreneurship and innovation
ecosystems across Africa.
They have had success in scaling
an innovation-driven business,
They are at an inflection point
in their leadership journeys, AND
The fellowship is a cohort-based
program, with 10-15 fellows accepted into the cohort each year. Going through
the fellowship as a cohort gives fellows the supportive context to move beyond
current inflection points to define the next stage in their entrepreneurial and
leadership journeys. The small number of fellows in each cohort, the emphasis
on a selective profile, and the unique curation of the curriculum, leads to a
learning environment that is highly supportive for deep transformation.
ELIGIBILITY
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 DETAILS
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.
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.
KEY DATES*
- June 11: Application Opens.
- July 6: Application period closes.
- July-August: Interviews with Kuo Sharper Center staff, community, and Foundry Fellow Alumni.
- September: Acceptance letters sent; commitments made.
- October: Orientation (virtual).
- November: Africa ecosystem tour (location TBD; approximately one week of travel).
- January/February: Africa ecosystem tour (location TBD; approximately one week of travel).
- April/May: US ecosystem tours (first location TBD; second location will be Boston/Cambridge; approximately two weeks of travel) and fellowship celebration event.
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