What is the name of your organization?
Africa 2100 NFP
What is the name of your solution?
Foundation Readiness Program
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Improving lives in underserved communities by empowering aspiring entrepreneurs through training, mentorship, and access to critical resources
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Chicago, IL, USA
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
USA
What type of organization is your solution team?
Nonprofit
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
Africa faces one of the highest youth unemployment rates globally, ranging from 30% to 65%, despite its rapidly growing young population. By 2050, nearly 50% of the world’s youth will reside in Africa, with 375 million young people entering the workforce. This presents both an opportunity and a challenge—without the right skills and support, unemployment and socio-economic instability could worsen. However, with strategic investments in entrepreneurship and job creation, Africa’s youth can drive innovation, economic growth, and sustainable development.
Traditional education systems often fail to equip graduates with a problem-solving mindset or practical business skills, making employment and entrepreneurship difficult. Young entrepreneurs also face key barriers:
- Limited access to education and mentorship – Many lack structured support to develop viable businesses.
- Lack of funding opportunities – Investors and financial institutions perceive youth-led startups as high-risk.
- Weak entrepreneurial ecosystems – Many struggle to access markets, networks, and partnerships needed for growth.
By offering structured training, mentorship, and financial access, the FRP empowers aspiring young entrepreneurs to become job creators, directly addressing unemployment and economic stagnation in their communities.
What is your solution?
Africa 2100 offers a systemic approach that tackles the mentioned gaps and root challenges by focusing on capacity building at the individual level. Unlike conventional incubation programs, we welcome entrepreneurs at the earliest stages, including those with just an idea, to an online ecosystem ensuring no one is left behind.
Our holistic model includes:
1. A self-paced digital learning platform with culturally relevant training tailored to individual progress.
2. An online entrepreneurial community fostering networking, peer learning, and cross-cultural exchange with pan-African insights.
3. Online and in-person masterclasses with industry experts, offering practical strategies from leaders who understand Africa’s business landscape.
4. Local meetups facilitated by Country Leads to strengthen participant relationships, boost engagement, and promote peer accountability.
5. One-on-one mentorship with seasoned business leaders for leadership growth, refining ideas and strategies.
6. Ongoing incubation support post-program, ensuring ventures receive guidance and resources for sustained growth.
7. Alumni continued involvement as mini-coaches and program veterans, fostering peer mentorship and a self-sustaining support ecosystem.
8. Access to resources, including funding pathways, linking graduates with sponsors and investors to bridge critical funding gaps.
By offering continuous support beyond initial training, Africa 2100 builds a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem that promotes self-reliance, job creation, and long-term economic growth across Africa.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
The Foundation Readiness Program (FRP) directly serves aspiring young entrepreneurs aged 18-35, minimally have a secondary or high school education, and we've initially piloted it in Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria. Our participants primarily come from low-income backgrounds, with many facing barriers such as limited access to quality education, high youth unemployment rates, and lack of entrepreneurial support systems.
We particularly focus on underserved groups, including women and rural-based entrepreneurs, who often experience additional challenges in accessing capital and business networks. Demographically, the majority of our participants have completed secondary education, and about 40% have some tertiary education, yet struggle with transitioning to stable employment or entrepreneurship due to systemic constraints.
Through our program, we aim to uplift these aspiring entrepreneurs by providing them with the training, mentorship, and funding necessary to launch and sustain successful businesses, driving local economic development and creating job opportunities within their communities.