South Africa

The Sustainability Open Innovation Challenge (SOIC) 7th Edition is a global innovation programme led by Enterprise Singapore that invites startups, SMEs, corporates, public researchers and other innovators to co-develop practical, scalable sustainability solutions with leading industry partners. Now in its seventh year, the challenge connects solution providers with corporates seeking innovation in five key themes: Renewable Energy, Offshore Wind, Greener Industries, Sustainable Agrifood and Sustainable Materials.

The African Bank MSME Capacity Building Programme is a 12‑month comprehensive initiative designed to strengthen the capabilities and competitiveness of South African micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across a wide range of sectors. The programme targets black‑owned businesses that are ready to grow, create jobs and contribute meaningfully to the economy, but need structured support, mentorship and market access to reach the next level.

The Joint Transnational Call 2026 under the EUP OHAMR (One Health Antimicrobial Resistance) partnership is a major international funding opportunity that supports collaborative research and innovation projects focused on developing new treatments and improving adherence to treatment protocols to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The call, titled “Treatments and adherence to treatment protocols”, brings together 37 funding organisations from 28 countries and has an estimated total budget of more than €31 million for projects of up to 3 years.

The Joint Canada–Israel Health Research Program Phase II, backed by the Azrieli Foundation, Canada’s International Development Research Center (IDRC), Israel Science Foundation (ISF), and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), supports world-class, collaborative research projects at the intersection of biomedical sciences and global health.

Sustainable Energy (SE) development is crucial for Africa and Europe’s green energy transition, enabling them to tackle the global challenge of climate change. Providing reliable and clean energy access to millions of people worldwide is necessary. To this end, the Long-Term Joint EU-AU Research and Innovation Partnership on Sustainable Energy (LEAP-SE) program, co-funded by the European Commission (EC) under Horizon Europe, aims to develop a long-term partnership between Europe and Africa in Research and Innovation (R&I) on sustainable energy.

Are you passionate about enhancing school leadership to promote educational quality, equity, and system resilience across Africa? ACSL is offering up to $15,000 for Descriptive Action Research and $35,000 for Comparative Action Research to support the generation of high-quality, context-specific, and policy-relevant evidence on school leadership in eligible African countries.

The IKI Small Grants programme, part of Germany’s International Climate Initiative (IKI), provides targeted support to local, national, and regional organisations in ODA-eligible countries to implement impactful climate and biodiversity projects. Funding ranges from €60,000 to €200,000 per project, with the aim to strengthen local resilience, support ecosystem protection, and address climate change at the frontline where impacts are most severe. Projects focus on climate change mitigation, adaptation, conservation of natural carbon sinks (REDD+), and biodiversity protection.

The IKI (International Climate Initiative) Large Grants offer substantial funding (5 to 20 million euros per project) to address pressing global challenges in climate change mitigation, climate adaptation, and biodiversity conservation. The grants are awarded annually based on strategic themes linked to UNFCCC and CBD negotiations and IKI’s 2030 Strategy, with a strong focus on projects that also foster bilateral cooperation with priority countries.

The Grassroots Innovation Programme, led by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), is a nationwide call to action for South African citizens with innovative solutions designed to address urgent social needs in their communities. This opportunity is tailored for homegrown problem-solvers—individuals or small teams who often lack access to traditional innovation infrastructure, funding, or mentorship.

Who Can Apply: