Overview
The Commonwealth Startup Fellowship (CSF) is a six-month programme designed to
ignite and elevate high potential startups from low and middle income
Commonwealth countries. The programme is made up of a combination of in-person
and online learning, to provide participants with essential skills, tailored
support, and a global network.
Rationale
The World bank estimates that 600 million jobs will be needed by 2030 to absorb
the growing global workforce. (World
Bank, 2019). The CSF helps to address this problem by supporting earlystage
entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and become the next generation of
business leaders and job creators.
The Programme
The programme is delivered in partnership with the Imperial
College London Enterprise Lab, global leaders in this field. 40 businesses
will be supported in total, across two cohorts of 20 businesses.
Cohort 2 will start in November 2025. Applications are open from 2nd–
30th June 2025. An information session for applicants is being held on
Tuesday 3rd June. You can register here:
bit.ly/3EYWDXC
The Fellowship is made up of 3 stages
Stage 1: Fully funded in person ‘bootcamp’ in Accra
Ghana
• Here, the programme will be launched with intensive, hands-on training.
Participants will
refine their business plans, develop targeted growth strategies, and build a
strong network
of fellow entrepreneurs and experts.
Stage 2: Five months of bespoke online learning
and business coaching
• Learning modules will continue remotely for the next five months, giving
fellows the
opportunity to apply what they are learning in real time. They will each be
supported by a
personal mentor and have monthly ‘venture review panels’ with industry and
country
experts who will provide feedback and guidance on the progress and choices they
are
making.
Stage 3: Fully funded Capstone Week in London
• At the end of the programme, businesses will have the opportunity to travel
to London to
take part in an international investor event and other networking
opportunities.
Who we’re looking for
To be eligible for these Fellowships, prospective Fellows
must:
• Be of at least graduate level.;
• Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible low- or
middle-income
Commonwealth country;
• Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country;
• Be fluent in written and spoken English.
• Not have undertaken a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship within the last
five years (at the time of taking up the award);
• Be available to undertake their fellowship from the prescribed start date.
In addition, they must demonstrate:
Evidence of innovation, in terms of product, service, or market
Active development for at least six-months and demonstrable commitment from
team members
A working minimum viable ‘product’, service and/or prototype
Significant evidence of customer engagement or traction in
the form of early sales or pre-sales .
proof of interest or demand, signed contracts or other relevant evidence.
Links:
imperialenterpriselab.com/programmes/commonwealth-startup-fellowship/
cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/entrepreneurship-innovation-and-job-creation/
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