Who can apply
- Startups based in Africa
- Startups building solutions specifically for African agricultural markets
- Startups with a prototype or Minimum Viable Product
- Startups with a committed founding team
- Ventures addressing a clearly defined agricultural value-chain challenge
- Startups demonstrating potential for growth and scalability
- Women-led startups are particularly encouraged
- Youth-led startups are particularly encouraged
- Founders working in rural or underserved communities are particularly encouraged
Focus areas
- Climate-smart agriculture
- Precision agriculture
- Agricultural data and analytics
- Market-access platforms
- Agri-finance
- Agricultural supply-chain innovation
- Food processing
- Sustainable agricultural inputs
- Agricultural productivity
- Food-system transformation
- Farmer income improvement
- Climate-resilient agriculture
Requirements
- Be based in Africa or build a solution targeting African agricultural markets
- Have a prototype or Minimum Viable Product
- Have a committed founding team
- Address a clearly defined problem within the agricultural value chain
- Demonstrate potential for growth and scalability
- Provide accurate information about the startup, solution, team and market
- Be prepared to participate actively in the incubation programme if selected
Application steps
- Read the official UNDP timbuktoo AgriTech Launchpad information
- Confirm that your startup has a prototype or Minimum Viable Product
- Prepare clear information about the problem, solution, founding team, market and growth potential
- Open the official timbuktoo AgriTech application form
- Complete all required startup and founder information
- Submit the application for consideration in an upcoming quarterly cohort
Global Grants Hub strategic note
This programme is best suited to AgriTech startups that already have a prototype or MVP; an idea alone is not enough. Strong applicants should clearly show the agricultural problem, how their technology solves it, who will use or pay for the solution and evidence that the venture can scale across African markets. This is an accelerator, not a cash grant. UNDP offers incubation, mentorship and investment-readiness support, but does not guarantee funding or investment.