AEDIB Joint Innovation Facility (JIF) 2026 – Africa–Europe Digital & Climate Innovation Scaling Call
The AEDIB Joint Innovation Facility (JIF) 2026 is a strategic Africa–Europe funding mechanism designed to scale digitally enabled, commercially viable innovations through strong cross-border partnerships.
Implemented under the Africa–Europe Digital Innovation Bridge (AEDIB) and aligned with the EU Global Gateway Africa–Europe Investment Package, JIF supports African-led consortia that are ready to expand established digital solutions across markets between Africa and Europe while embedding measurable climate-positive impact.
This is not early-stage or experimental funding. JIF is specifically designed to scale what already works.
What JIF 2026 Focuses On
JIF supports partnership-driven scaling projects that:
• Are led by an African organisation
• Involve at least one European partner (based in an EU Member State)
• Build on existing, revenue-generating digital solutions
• Use digital technologies as a core driver (not an add-on)
• Demonstrate measurable climate-positive impact
• Are commercially viable and ready for cross-border expansion
Digital technologies must be central to the business model including advanced data systems, platform technologies, and applied AI.
A dedicated AI Focus Track supports high-quality, sector-specific AI applications that go beyond generic or experimental use.
Climate-Positive Requirement
All supported projects must demonstrate measurable positive impact in at least one of the following:
• Climate mitigation (e.g., reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving efficiency)
• Climate adaptation and resilience (e.g., strengthening systems and communities against climate risks)
Applicants must either show existing measurable impact or a credible pathway to achieving it through project design and implementation.
What JIF Offers
Selected consortia will receive:
Non-dilutive funding
• EUR 100,000 or EUR 200,000
• Milestone-based grant structure
• Funding dedicated to digital development and cross-border market expansion
Tailored support via the JIF Venture Studio
• Expert mentorship
• Technical advisory support
• Investment readiness guidance
• Peer learning between Africa and Europe
Strategic visibility and positioning
• Access to Africa–Europe digital transformation networks
• Alignment with EU–Africa partnership priorities and Agenda 2063
Eligible African Lead Countries
African lead partners must be based in one of the following 14 countries:
Benin, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia.
European partners must be based in one of the 27 EU Member States.
Who Can Apply?
Eligible consortia must:
• Include at least two cross-border partners (Africa–Europe)
• Be led by an African organisation
• Present a commercially viable, revenue-generating solution
• Demonstrate operational and technical capacity
• Show strong female leadership representation within the consortium
• Require strategic non-dilutive funding to accelerate scaling
Consortium members may include:
• For-profit companies (SMEs or larger firms)
• Entrepreneurship Support Organisations (ESOs)
• Innovation Support Organisations (ISOs) / Innovation Hubs
• Applied research organisations (universities, research centres)
• Relevant non-profits
Application Process
JIF follows a two-stage selection process:
Stage 1: Pre-Screening
Applicants submit a short concept outlining:
• Consortium structure
• Commercial viability
• Climate-positive contribution
• Alignment with eligibility criteria
Only shortlisted applicants proceed to Stage 2.
Stage 2: Full Proposal
Assessment focuses on:
• Strategic alignment
• Scalability and digital innovation quality
• Strength of cross-border collaboration
• Climate-positive impact
Key Dates
Call opens: 10 February 2026
Deadline: 30 April 2026 (23:59 EAT / 22:59 CET)
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis
Batch Reviews:
• 1st Batch – From 3rd week of March 2026
• 2nd Batch – From 1st week of May 2026
Information Session
Next info session:
4 March 2026
14:00–15:30 EAT / 12:00–13:00 CET
Sessions provide guidance on eligibility, scaling requirements, climate impact expectations, and Q&A with the JIF team.
Contact: jif@giz.de
Click HERE to visit the official website.