AI for Africa ProgramsGrants & Fellowships

Research programs that drive real impact.

Our programs support researchers, developers, and institutions working on AI solutions for African financial systems. From small grants to full fellowships, we fund work that matters.

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Applications reviewed quarterly, funding available year-round.
Current Programs
Active • Open • Collaborative
AI for Africa logo - Research programs, grants and fellowships for African fintech
Research Grants
$5K - $50K
6-18 month projects
Fellowships
$25K - $100K
1-2 year programs
Open Source
$2K - $15K
Tools & datasets
Supporting the next generation of African AI researchers.
AI for Africa • 2024
Grant Programs

Funding for impactful research.

We support projects that advance AI applications in African financial systems, from early-stage research to production deployments.

Seed Grants

Early-stage research funding.

$5,000 - $15,000 grants for exploratory research and proof-of-concept work.

  • 6-12 month project timeline
  • Focus on novel AI applications
  • Open publication of results
  • Mentorship from industry experts
Focus Areas:
Financial inclusion
Risk assessment
RegTech solutions
Development Grants

Production-ready solutions.

$15,000 - $50,000 grants for developing and deploying AI systems in real environments.

  • 12-18 month project timeline
  • Partnership with financial institutions
  • Real-world testing and validation
  • Open-source components required
Focus Areas:
Payment optimization
Fraud detection
Credit scoring
Open Source

Tools and datasets.

$2,000 - $15,000 grants for creating open-source tools, datasets, and reference implementations.

  • 3-9 month project timeline
  • MIT or Apache 2.0 licensing
  • Comprehensive documentation
  • Community maintenance plan
Focus Areas:
Synthetic data
ML pipelines
Evaluation frameworks
Fellowship Programs

Deep research partnerships.

Long-term programs for researchers and institutions committed to advancing AI for African financial systems.

Individual

Research Fellowships

$25,000 - $75,000 annual stipends for dedicated researchers.

  • 1-2 year commitment
  • Access to real financial data
  • Industry mentorship program
  • Conference and publication support
  • Collaboration with African institutions
Requirements: PhD in relevant field, demonstrated research experience, commitment to open publication.
Institutional

University Partnerships

$50,000 - $150,000 grants for university research programs.

  • 2-3 year partnerships
  • Support for multiple researchers
  • Student exchange programs
  • Joint curriculum development
  • Industry collaboration opportunities
Requirements: Established AI/ML program, commitment to African focus, industry partnership potential.
Industry

Corporate Research

$75,000 - $200,000 for industry-academic collaborations.

  • 1-3 year joint projects
  • Real-world problem solving
  • Shared IP arrangements
  • Regulatory compliance focus
  • Scalable solution development
Requirements: African financial services focus, academic partnership, commitment to open research.
Apply

Ready to make an impact?

Our application process is designed to be straightforward while ensuring we fund the most promising research.

Application Timeline

We review applications quarterly and provide funding decisions within 6-8 weeks of submission. Rolling applications are accepted for urgent or time-sensitive projects.

Q1: March 15
Q2: June 15
Q3: September 15
Q4: December 15

What we look for

Strong applications demonstrate clear understanding of African financial challenges, technical feasibility, and potential for real-world impact.

Clear problem definitionTechnical innovationAfrican context awarenessOpen research commitment