Call for African Innovators: Turn Bold Ideas into Real Impact on Plastic Circularity

Deadline: 15 February 2026, 23:59 SAST
Funding: Up to $120,000 USD in tiered grants
Organizer: OceanHub Africa in partnership with The Coca-Cola Foundation
Eligibility: Pan-African – open to innovators, scientists, researchers, startups, and teams from all African countries
Apply: Submit your 5-minute video application here (video submission required)

OceanHub Africa (OHA), in partnership with The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF), is launching a $120,000 pan-African initiative to transform bold, science-driven ideas into market-ready solutions tackling Africa's plastic waste crisis. With solid waste projected to hit 200 million tons annually by 2030, this program bridges the gap from lab research to scalable businesses, focusing on plastic circularity across coastal and urban ecosystems. It empowers early-stage and growth-stage innovators with funding, venture building support, mentorship, and market access to reduce pollution, create livelihoods, and build sustainable circular economy models.

Program Overview

This challenge targets high-impact innovations addressing plastic waste throughout its lifecycle: reduction, reuse, collection, recycling, upcycling, and alternative materials. Selected ventures join OHA's specialized venture builder studio for hybrid support (March–December 2026), including technical mentorship, business validation, piloting in real-world African settings, and connections to corporate partners and impact investors.

Key benefits include:

• Tiered Funding (total pool: $120,000 USD):
  • Grant 1 (CAPEX): Up to $20,000 per venture for initial infrastructure.
  • Grant 2 (Ops & Pilot): Up to $20,000 for 1–2 high-performers to cover operations and testing.
  • Grant 3 (Commercialization): $80,000 repayable grant for 1 top venture ready to scale.
• One-on-one coaching from industry experts.
• Structured venture development: Financial modeling, market-entry strategies, and revenue validation.
• Networking for visibility and partnerships.
• Documentation and marketing via OHA channels.

Expected Outcomes:

• Environmental: Divert 490 tons of plastic from oceans/landfills.
• Social: Create 150+ sustainable jobs in communities.
• Economic: Launch profitable circular business models.
• Scalability: Replicable blueprints for pan-African impact.

Who Is Eligible?

Open to individuals, teams, scientists, researchers, startups, early-stage companies, and impact-driven entrepreneurs from all African countries. Focus on practical, scalable solutions with strong potential for environmental/social impact. No prior business experience required—non-technical innovations (e.g., community models, business systems) are welcome alongside tech-driven ones.

Why This Matters for African Innovators

Africa's plastic pollution threatens biodiversity, health, and economies, yet local solutions lag due to commercialization gaps. This initiative strengthens the continent's Blue Economy by funding African-led ideas, fostering collaboration, and proving circularity's commercial viability—aligning with global sustainability goals.

Supported Solution Types

• Plastic reduction/prevention strategies.
• Reuse/refill systems.
• Recycling/upcycling tech.
• Alternative materials/packaging.
• Community-led collection and management.

How to Apply and Tips for Success

Submit a 5-minute video via the application form detailing your solution. Proposals evaluated on impact, feasibility, scalability, innovation, and circular economy alignment.

Application Tips:

• Define the specific plastic waste problem and your actionable approach.
• Quantify potential impact (e.g., tons diverted, jobs created).
• Show scalability/replicability across Africa.
• Highlight science-to-market transition (e.g., pilots, revenue models).
• Align with objectives: Reduce pollution, enable circularity, empower scaling.

This is a prime chance for African innovators to secure funding and support for lasting environmental change. Learn more via OceanHub Africa's Instagram post.

Apply now: https://tally.so/r/aQ9RR