Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship 2027

The Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship is an eight-month programme at Queen's University for young people in Africa who want to turn an idea into a working venture. It runs fully online, so you take part from where you live, and it welcomes applicants from every academic discipline.

Who can apply

Students and recent graduates of any post-secondary institution in Africa can apply, at undergraduate, master's or PhD level. You can already run a business or still be testing an idea. The programme asks for at least 10 hours of work each week. Course content is delivered in English and all assignments and pitches must be completed in English, although mentorship can also be offered in French. Applicants who are less confident in English can form a team with someone who meets the language requirement.

What it offers

The fellowship has three phases. In Explore and Ignite you follow online entrepreneurship courses, work through the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework and pitch your idea. In the final Launch phase, up to 60 fellows join an incubation programme with coaches and mentors. Each of them receives a stipend of CAD 500 in total, a one-off payment rather than a salary. Fellows can also compete for seed funding in a pitch competition at the end, and participants can earn Queen's University micro-credentials.

Deadline

Applications close on 1 December 2026. The official page gives no closing time, so submit well before the last day.

Before you apply

Write down the problem you want to solve and who faces it, because the first phase starts from that question. Check that you can keep up the weekly workload for eight months. If your internet access is limited, course content can be downloaded and lessons come in low-resolution, mobile-friendly formats.