Who can apply
- Legally established innovation hubs in eligible countries
- Business incubators and accelerators
- Technology parks and science parks
- Digital Innovation Hubs
- Innovation agencies with structured incubation or acceleration programmes
- University-based entrepreneurship centres
- University incubation or accelerator units
- Technology transfer offices functioning as innovation-support units
- Research organisations applying through a clearly designated innovation hub or equivalent unit
- NGOs with established and demonstrable structured innovation-support, incubation or mentoring programmes
- Innovation hubs outside Africa with proven operational experience supporting innovation or entrepreneurship in at least one African country
Focus areas
- Food-safety innovation
- Innovation incubation and acceleration
- Business mentoring
- Food-system entrepreneurship
- Value-proposition development
- Business-model development
- Financial sustainability
- Market access
- Regulatory awareness
- Investment readiness
- Social innovation
- Gender inclusion
- Community engagement
- Upscaling and replication
- Impact measurement
- African and European food markets
Requirements
- Apply as one legal entity because consortium applications are not allowed
- Be legally established in an eligible country
- Operate as a structured innovation hub or formally established innovation-support unit
- Have a valid VAT number or equivalent national registration number where VAT registration is not mandatory
- Submit only one proposal
- Propose an eight-month project running from February to September 2027
- Design at least six structured training and mentoring activities
- Deliver at least two training activities supporting at least two different FS4Africa Open Call 1 beneficiaries
- Deliver at least four training or mentoring activities supporting actors involved in FS4Africa Use Cases
- Use the official proposal, budget and Declaration of Honour templates
- Submit all required supporting evidence in PDF format
- Provide evidence of prior African innovation-support experience if the applicant is established outside Africa
- Ensure proposed activities primarily benefit FS4Africa Use Case actors and Open Call 1 beneficiaries
Application steps
- Read the official Open Call 2 Applicants’ Guide and eligibility requirements
- Confirm that your organisation qualifies as an eligible innovation hub
- Register or sign in on the OpenCalls.fund platform
- Download and complete the official proposal, budget and Declaration of Honour templates
- Prepare the required supporting evidence and upload documents in the permitted PDF format
- Submit the complete proposal through OpenCalls.fund before 31 August 2026 at 17:00 CET
Global Grants Hub strategic note
This grant is specifically for established innovation hubs, not ordinary NGOs or individual trainers. NGOs should apply only if they already operate a structured incubation, acceleration or mentoring programme. Strong applicants will demonstrate a solid track record supporting entrepreneurs, practical training capacity and clear knowledge of African food systems. Non-African hubs face an additional requirement to prove previous operational experience in Africa. There is no pre-financing, so applicants should ensure they have enough cash flow to begin implementation before milestone payments are received.