About this opportunity
An accelerator for agribusinesses that are already selling and ready to cross a border. The Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator is a COMESA regional initiative, funded by the Government of New Zealand through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and implemented by AUDA-NEPAD, and applications for the 2027 cohort close on 18 November 2026.
The support is practical rather than symbolic. Selected companies receive context-specific advisory services built around their market and sector, guidance on cross-border regulation and trade facilitation under the African Continental Free Trade Area, investment readiness and fundraising support with potential access to HGSA-A investment funding, matching to regional buyers, investors and mentors, and continued support after the programme ends. The programme describes what it wants as established enterprises led by African innovators, with strong preference for women-owned or led enterprises at 70 percent and youth-owned or led enterprises aged 18 to 35 at 30 percent.
The bar to enter is real. Your business must be legally registered and operational in a COMESA member state, African-owned or led, at growth stage, with a proven and innovative business model and an annual turnover close to USD 100,000, which the provider notes varies from country to country. Audited financial accounts for at least the last three years and basic compliance structures are required, along with a credible path to regional or international markets. Value chains in scope run from input supply, aggregation, processing, storage, logistics and distribution to market access services, digital agriculture and value addition, with high value crops included only beyond primary production. Green growth counts too, in line with the OECD Green Growth Strategy, whether that is resource-efficient processes, renewable energy products, waste reduction and recycling or sustainable packaging.
One line to read before you spend an evening on the form. COMESA is the Eastern and Southern Africa bloc, so registration and operations inside a COMESA member state is the gate rather than African incorporation in general, and a business registered only outside the region will not clear the technical review. Selection then runs three stages, from document review to themed interviews to full due diligence.
What you receive
- Context-specific advisory services designed around your market and industry sector
- Cross-border regulatory and trade facilitation guidance under the AfCFTA
- Investment readiness and fundraising support, with potential access to HGSA-A investment funding
- Matching to regional buyers, investors, mentors and other strategic partners
- Post-acceleration support after the programme completes
- Technical assistance and mentorship from sector experts
- Access to regional and global markets and networking with peers, buyers and investors
Who can apply
- Legally registered and operational in a COMESA member state
- African-owned or led growth-stage company
- A proven and innovative business model with annual turnover close to USD 100,000, which varies by country
- Audited financial accounts for at least the last three years and basic compliance structures
- Operating within an inclusive, high-potential agribusiness value chain
- Demonstrated potential for regional or international market access and clear scalability prospects
- Actively pursuing green growth in line with the OECD Green Growth Strategy
- Strong preference for women-owned or led enterprises at 70 percent and youth-owned or led enterprises aged 18 to 35 at 30 percent
- Prioritises inclusive participation, employing or serving youth, women, people with disabilities and refugees, and contributing to food security and nutrition goals
Who should not apply
- Primary production is excluded from the high value crops line
- Registration and operations must be in a COMESA member state, so a business registered only outside the COMESA region cannot clear technical eligibility
Documents to prepare
- Business registration documents
- Audited financial accounts for at least the last three years
- Evidence of your business model, turnover and market access potential
- Financial statements for the technical eligibility review
- Your full name and email address to open the application on the programme portal
How to apply
- Open the Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator application on the programme portal.
- Enter your full name and email address, then start the application.
- Complete the sections on your company, your value chain, your financials and your market reach.
- Keep your registration documents and three years of audited accounts ready for the technical eligibility review.
- Submit before the portal closes the call on 18 November 2026.
Selection process
- Stage 1, technical eligibility, a review of required documentation including business registration and financial statements
- Stage 2, thematic innovation alignment through interviews, assessing alignment with programme priorities, business model scalability and socio-economic impact
- Stage 3, due diligence on credibility and readiness for acceleration, covering business model, leadership, growth potential and impact, with emphasis on sustainability, inclusivity and alignment with programme objectives
Sources and verification
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Questions applicants ask
Is there a cash grant?
No amount is published for this cohort. The programme lists potential access to HGSA-A investment funding as a benefit, without stating a figure.
Which businesses qualify?
Companies across the agricultural value chain in input supply, aggregation, processing, storage, logistics, distribution, market access, digital agriculture and value addition, that are African-owned or led, at growth stage and registered in a COMESA member state.
Who runs the programme?
It is a COMESA regional initiative funded by the Government of New Zealand through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and implemented by AUDA-NEPAD.
When do applications close?
The programme portal shows the application deadline as 18 November 2026 at 11:00 PM.
What does green growth mean here?
Applying climate change mitigation or adaptation techniques and sustainable agricultural practices, such as resource-efficient processes, renewable energy products, waste reduction and recycling or sustainable packaging, in line with the OECD Green Growth Strategy.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
