Halcyon Fellowship Program – Strengthening Africa’s Climate Future
Halcyon’s 2026 Climate Resilience & Food Security in Africa Fellowship is designed to support visionary founders who are building solutions that address two of Africa’s most pressing challenges: climate resilience and sustainable food systems.
As climate shocks intensify and vulnerabilities grow across the continent, the Fellowship provides a structured platform for entrepreneurs who are designing practical, scalable, and community-centered innovations that can transform how African societies adapt to climate change and sustain food security.
This Fellowship targets early-stage, impact-driven entrepreneurs committed to strengthening climate adaptation, advancing agricultural sustainability, and creating systems that ensure long-term food availability and resilience. By offering hands-on support and a world-class network, Halcyon aims to accelerate ventures with the potential to create measurable, lasting impact across Africa.
Program Structure and Format
The 2026 Fellowship follows a hybrid model that blends immersive in-person residencies with virtual capacity-building programming. This format ensures that founders receive continuous guidance, peer engagement, and tailored expert support, regardless of location.
The program includes:
One-week in-person residency in Accra, Ghana
Fellows begin with an intensive residency focused on leadership development, venture strategy, and partnership building. During this week, founders work with subject-matter experts, advisors, and regional stakeholders to refine their business models, strengthen their value propositions, and assess growth pathways in the climate and food systems space.
Five virtual programming days
After the Accra residency, participants take part in a series of structured online sessions. These virtual days feature technical workshops, expert roundtables, pitch preparation, and individualized venture support. Topics span climate adaptation strategies, regenerative agriculture, impact measurement, local market analysis, and fundraising readiness. Virtual sessions allow founders to deepen their learning while continuing to operate their ventures.
One-week final residency in Nairobi, Kenya
The program concludes with a second in-person residency, this time in Nairobi—one of Africa’s most active hubs for agricultural innovation, climate technology, and entrepreneurship. Fellows engage in investor forums, partner engagements, storytelling and media workshops, and a culminating venture showcase. This final residency strengthens cross-country collaboration and provides founders with opportunities to scale their work, secure partnerships, and access investment networks.
Focus Areas and Impact Priorities
The Fellowship is centered on ventures addressing urgent needs at the intersection of:
Climate adaptation and resilience technologies
Solutions that strengthen communities’ ability to anticipate, absorb, and respond to climate shocks such as droughts, flooding, and extreme heat.
Sustainable agriculture and food systems innovation
Approaches that improve productivity, reduce environmental degradation, and secure reliable food supplies.
Food security and nutrition
Tools and models that promote equitable access to nutritious, affordable food across diverse populations.
Climate-smart technologies
Innovations leveraging clean energy, digital platforms, data-driven agriculture, regenerative practices, and nature-based solutions.
Founders working in adjacent or complementary areas—such as water management, post-harvest loss reduction, agri-fintech, circular economy models, and climate risk assessment—are also encouraged to apply.
What the Fellowship Offers
Participants selected for the Fellowship gain access to Halcyon’s global ecosystem and receive support designed to strengthen both their ventures and their leadership. Fellows benefit from:
Strategic mentorship from experts in climate resilience, food systems, and social entrepreneurship
Practical venture development guidance and milestone tracking
Peer learning with a highly motivated cohort of African founders
Networking opportunities with investors, philanthropies, and sector leaders
Exposure to regional innovation ecosystems in Ghana and Kenya
A platform to amplify their work and accelerate adoption of their solutions
Halcyon’s program is intentionally inclusive and collaborative, empowering founders to design and scale innovations rooted in local contexts, evidence-based practices, and long-term sustainability.
Commitment to Equity and Inclusive Innovation
Halcyon strongly encourages applications from women founders, entrepreneurs from climate-affected communities, and innovators representing diverse perspectives across the African continent. The Fellowship is grounded in principles of equity, ethical leadership, and community partnership—ensuring that solutions are developed with the communities they aim to serve.
Learn More
Explore Halcyon’s Climate Vertical to understand the broader impact of its climate-focused programmes.
Meet previous Africa Food & Climate founders to see the types of ventures that have succeeded in earlier cohorts.
How to Apply
Interested applicants should begin by submitting the Eligibility Form, which determines whether they meet the initial criteria for the 2026 cohort. Following this step, selected candidates will receive full application instructions and timeline details.
The Fellowship is designed for founders who want to scale their impact, deepen their leadership capabilities, and contribute meaningfully to Africa’s climate and food security future.
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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the hiring organization. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.
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