Applications are now open for the Women Catalyst Fellowship 2026, a pan-African professional programme designed to support the growth of women-led agribusiness ventures while building the next generation of African accelerator leaders.

The fellowship will recruit 25–30 fellows across Africa to help deliver Catalyst W, an accelerator focused on strengthening female entrepreneurship within the agribusiness sector.

About the Fellowship

The Women Catalyst Fellowship offers a performance-based professional experience where participants contribute directly to the development of a continent-wide agribusiness accelerator.

Selected fellows will collaborate remotely across regions to support 40 women-led agribusiness enterprises, gaining practical exposure in partnerships, communications, operations, and venture acceleration.

Rather than a traditional volunteer role, the fellowship emphasizes real work experience, professional credentials, and income opportunities linked to performance outcomes.

Fellowship Highlights

• Participation in a 16-week Pan-African accelerator programme
• Work alongside agribusiness founders, investors, and ecosystem partners
• Access to regional and international industry networks
• Official fellowship certificate and professional reference
• Opportunity to attend the Africa Food Futures Summit in Kigali with travel support
• Priority consideration for future paid positions within the accelerator ecosystem

Available Fellowship Roles

A distributed team structure will operate across five African regions.

Leadership & Coordination

• Fellowship Director – Oversees programme delivery and recruitment pipeline
• Regional Leads (5 positions) – Coordinate fellows and partnerships within assigned regions

Specialist Roles

• Partnerships Fellows – Engage sponsors, institutions, and government partners
• Outreach & Recruitment Fellows – Lead applicant sourcing and community engagement
• Operations Fellows – Manage logistics, data systems, and accelerator coordination
• Content & Communications Fellows – Produce storytelling, media, and outreach content

Compensation Model

The fellowship follows a results-based compensation structure, including:

• Revenue-share opportunities from partnerships and sponsorships
• Bonuses tied to outreach and programme milestones
• Commission from summit ticket engagement activities
• First-hire consideration for future full-time roles

Geographic Coverage

Fellows will be selected from across five regions:

• West Africa
• East Africa
• Southern Africa
• Central Africa
• North Africa

All roles are fully remote, allowing collaboration across time zones.

Important Dates

• Application Deadline: 20 May 2026
• Fellowship Start: 26 May 2026
• Programme Duration: 16 weeks

Don't miss out on the application deadline which is 20 May 2026.