2025 Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship

4 weeks agoLast Updated: November 7, 2024

The Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship is a prestigious initiative aimed at empowering African students and recent graduates by providing them with a unique opportunity to acquire essential skills, resources, financial support, and mentorship for nurturing their entrepreneurial aspirations and launching their own ventures.

This comprehensive 8-month program is meticulously designed to foster exceptional entrepreneurial skills and cultivate a mindset of innovation and leadership, ultimately equipping the participants to drive both social and financial impact. Through this fellowship, emerging entrepreneurs in Africa gain the knowledge and networks necessary to propel their business ideas forward, fostering growth and positive change within their communities and beyond.

Requirements For The 2025 Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship

The program accepts students and recent graduates from all academic disciplines, and from any African post-secondary institution. Whether you are already working on a business or you are looking to start something new, we can help you.
The program is looking for participants who are committed to developing their entrepreneurial mindset and taking advantage of the resources provided to develop their own enterprise. The program is delivered virtually and can be completed at any pace, however the most committed participants will commit at least 10 hours per week. In order to progress through the program phases, participants will submit assignments online, adhering to strict deadlines.
The program content is delivered in English.
Mentorship may be offered in English and French. Assignments and pitches must be completed in English. Prospective fellows who are unable to speak or write English are still encouraged to apply and form teams with someone who can fulfill all the requirements of the program in English.
Prospective fellows may also work with their local university to come up with a strategy to make sure they are able to access university resources that will help them navigate the challenge related to language ability.

Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship Program Benefits

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
Live workshops on marketing, goal setting, and recruiting are held throughout the program
Opportunity to earn micro-credentials on Entrepreneurship awarded by Queen’s University for successful completion the courses

Mentorship and Networking

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
Fellows are matched to industry leaders and entrepreneurs in the final phase of the program
Receive feedback at important startup milestones

Financial Support and Opportunities

Up to 60 Fellows will be selected in the final phase to receive a stipend of $500 CAD
Opportunities to pitch for prizes of up to $15,000 CAD in the pitch competition at the end of the program
Opportunities to travel to the Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre to build lasting connections that will help your further your business venture