Young entrepreneurs, women-led businesses, innovators, researchers and enterprise-support practitioners across eight East African Community (EAC) Partner States can apply for a new three-day capacity-building training in innovation, entrepreneurship and business development.
The programme is being organised by the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO) in partnership with the African Union Development Agency–NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) under the Creating Opportunities for Youth and Women in Africa (COYWA) Programme.
A total of 160 participants will be selected, with 20 participants from each participating EAC Partner State.
The training will be delivered physically in each participating country and is designed to provide practical business-development skills that participants can apply to existing enterprises, emerging businesses or commercially promising innovations.
The application deadline is 20 November 2026 at 4:00 PM CAT or 5:00 PM EAT.
Countries Eligible to Participate
The capacity-building programme is open to eligible applicants from eight EAC Partner States:
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Burundi
Democratic Republic of Congo
Kenya
Rwanda
Somalia
South Sudan
Tanzania
Uganda
Applicants should apply to participate in the training organised within their respective country.
Training dates and venues will be communicated directly to selected applicants.
About the EASTECO–COYWA Training
The initiative forms part of efforts to strengthen innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems across the EAC region, with a particular focus on youth- and women-led enterprises.
The three-day programme will focus on practical learning rather than traditional lecture-based training.
Participants will work through enterprise-specific exercises, practical clinics, peer learning activities and coaching designed to help them strengthen their business ideas and improve their ability to develop sustainable enterprises.
The programme is intended to help participants better understand business models, financial management, market access, enterprise financing and business growth.
What Will Participants Learn?
The training will be organised around three major themes over three days.
Day 1: Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Business Model Development
The first day will focus on developing entrepreneurial thinking and strengthening business models.
Topics will include:
Creativity and entrepreneurial thinking.
Identifying business opportunities.
Customer discovery and problem validation.
Developing value propositions.
The Business Model Canvas.
Enterprise modelling.
Practical business model development.
Participants will have an opportunity to work directly on their own business model or idea during the practical business-model clinic.
Day 2: Financial Management, Market Access and Growth
The second day will focus on helping participants better manage and grow their enterprises.
Training areas will include:
Business financial records.
Costing and pricing.
Cash-flow forecasting.
Basic financial planning.
Marketing and digital business.
Customer acquisition.
Market access.
Regional business opportunities.
Participants will also take part in practical financial-management and market-access exercises.
Day 3: Financing Readiness, Pitching and Action Planning
The final day will focus on preparing enterprises for financing conversations and future growth.
Participants will learn about:
Enterprise financing opportunities.
Financing readiness.
Business communication.
Pitch development.
Business pitching.
Constructive peer feedback.
Enterprise action planning.
Learning assessments and programme evaluation.
Participants will also develop a measurable 90-day enterprise action plan.
Importantly, business pitching will be used strictly as a learning and feedback exercise. It is not a competition and does not determine access to grants or financing.
Who Should Apply?
Applications are particularly encouraged from individuals in the participating EAC countries who fall within the programme’s target groups.
These include:
Youth and women entrepreneurs running existing or emerging businesses.
Early-stage entrepreneurs developing innovative products, services or business ideas.
Graduate students and recent graduates with commercially promising innovations.
Researchers seeking to commercialise research or technological solutions.
Innovators developing creative products or services.
Entrepreneurship educators.
Incubation personnel.
Enterprise-support practitioners working with youth- and women-led businesses.
Applicants should demonstrate a clear interest in applying the skills gained through the programme to an enterprise, business idea, innovation or relevant enterprise-support activity.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants should be citizens or eligible residents of one of the eight participating EAC Partner States and apply for the training in their respective country.
Youth entrepreneurs should generally be aged 15 to 35, while women entrepreneurs and eligible enterprise-support practitioners are also encouraged to apply.
Applicants should either own, manage or actively participate in an existing enterprise or have a clearly articulated business idea or innovation with commercial potential.
Applicants should also demonstrate specific capacity-building needs related to the training topics and be available to attend all three days of physical training.
They must be willing to participate in practical exercises, baseline and endline assessments and the development of a 90-day enterprise action plan.
Importantly, applicants do not need to be investment-ready. Early-stage businesses and innovative ideas with demonstrable commercial potential are encouraged.
What Will Selected Participants Receive?
Selected participants will benefit from practical training and enterprise-development support, including:
Innovation and entrepreneurship training.
Business model and value proposition development.
Financial-management tools.
Costing, pricing and cash-flow planning skills.
Marketing and digital-business knowledge.
Market-access information.
Pitch-development practice.
A 90-day enterprise-development action plan.
Peer learning and networking.
Information about relevant incubation, mentorship and business-support opportunities where available.
The programme will provide training facilities, water, tea and lunch during the three-day sessions.
However, residential accommodation and Daily Subsistence Allowances (DSAs) will not be provided. Applicants should therefore be able to attend the training within their respective Partner State.
Is This a Grant or Funding Programme?
No.
Applicants should note that this is a capacity-building and enterprise-development training programme, not a grant competition or financing programme.
Participation does not guarantee access to COYWA grants, seed funding, loans, investment or future financial assistance.
The programme’s objective is to equip participants with practical knowledge and tools that can help them strengthen their enterprises and pursue future opportunities independently.
Selection Criteria
Applications will be assessed against several criteria, including:
Relevance and clarity of the enterprise, innovation or business idea – 25%.
Demonstrated capacity-building needs – 25%.
Potential to apply the acquired skills – 20%.
Potential for enterprise growth, innovation or economic contribution – 20%.
Motivation and commitment to full participation – 10%.
The selection process will also consider gender inclusion, youth participation, geographical representation, enterprise-development stages, accessibility needs and opportunities for underserved groups.
Women entrepreneurs, young innovators, persons with disabilities, rural entrepreneurs and individuals from underserved communities are particularly encouraged to apply.
Application Deadline
The application deadline is 20 November 2026 at 4:00 PM CAT or 5:00 PM EAT.
Training dates and venues will be communicated to successful applicants.
How to Apply
Interested applicants should complete the official online application form before the deadline.
For enquiries, applicants can contact:
Email: eaccoywa@easteco.org
Additional contact: mtayebwa@eachq.org
Only shortlisted or successful applicants will be contacted through the official programme communication channels.
Note: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the offering organisation and does not process applications for this programme. This article is shared for informational purposes to help entrepreneurs, innovators and enterprise-support practitioners discover relevant opportunities. Applicants should verify all eligibility requirements, training arrangements, dates, venues and other details directly with EASTECO/AUDA-NEPAD before applying. Do not send applications or personal documents to GSO. Eligible youth and women entrepreneurs across the eight participating EAC countries are encouraged to apply early and use the programme as an opportunity to strengthen their business models, financial-management skills, market knowledge and growth strategies.