Opportunities for founders in Malawi

Browse verified opportunities open to founders and entrepreneurs in Malawi, with deadlines and official application links in one place.

14 open opportunities, 1 closing within 7 days

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DAAD flags flying outside the German Academic Exchange Service

ScholarshipCloses 12 Nov

German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

DAAD In-Country and In-Region Scholarships for Sub-Saharan Africa: Funded Master’s Degrees in Development Related Fields

The DAAD In-Country/In-Region Programme funds development related Master’s degrees for graduates and postgraduates from Sub-Saharan Africa, either in their own country or in another country in the region. The award runs for the regular duration of the course, generally up to two years, and covers a monthly scholarship, tuition fees, a study and research allowance, thesis publishing costs and health insurance, with a travel allowance for In-Region holders. Applications for the round now open close on 12 November 2026.

Eligibility: Applicant is a graduate or postgraduate from Sub-Saharan Africa

Deadline: November 12, 2026
Location: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana
Funding or benefit: No single figure is published on the programme page. The award lists a monthly scholarship, study and research allowance, thesis publishing costs, tuition fees and health insurance, plus a travel allowance for In-Region holders. The amounts appear in the call for applications of the degree programme you apply to. Applying through the host institution costs nothing.

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CompetitionOpen

D-Prize

D-Prize Global Competition 2026: Up to US$20,000 to Launch an Organization Distributing Proven Poverty Solutions

A global competition that gives up to US$20,000 in seed funding to first-time founders building organizations that deliver proven, evidence-based poverty solutions to underserved communities. The 2026 round runs from 14 September 2026 with submission deadlines on 25 October, 15 November and 6 December 2026.

Eligibility: Open to applicants worldwide, including individuals and founding teams

Deadline: November 15, 2026
Location: Global, Kenya, Nigeria
Funding or benefit: Up to US$20,000 in seed funding to launch a new organization that distributes a proven poverty solution. The award can support initial programme implementation, team costs, early operations and pilot activities, and awardees spend the following months piloting their distribution idea and building the organization.

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UNESCO Research Continuity Grants for African Scientists Whose Work Was Interrupted by Crisis opportunity

GrantOpen

UNESCO Science for Crisis Response and Solutions Programme

UNESCO Research Continuity Grants for African Scientists Whose Work Was Interrupted by Crisis

UNESCO is offering six institutional research continuity grants of up to USD 2,000 each to African nationals working at recognised universities and research institutes whose natural science research was interrupted by armed conflict or a natural or biological hazard. Applications close on 15 November 2026 at 23:59 Paris time.

Eligibility: African nationals based at a recognised university or research institute in an African country

Deadline: November 15, 2026
Location: Algeria, Angola, Benin
Funding or benefit: Six institutional grants of up to USD 2,000 each under this first pilot call, for activities that can be completed within six months.

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A street scene in Malawi photographed by Tamara Gerwinat, the image carried by the CEGA 2026 Global Networks Research Grant Competition page

GrantOpen

Center for Effective Global Action, University of California, Berkeley

CEGA 2026 Global Networks Research Grant Competition: Up to US$67,000 per Impact Evaluation Project in East and West Africa

The Center for Effective Global Action is taking joint proposals from CEGA Fellows and CEGA Affiliates for policy relevant impact evaluations in East and West Africa, with US$200,000 in total research funding awarded to 3 to 4 projects and submissions closing on 15 November 2026.

Eligibility: Applications come from teams of scholars made up of at least one CEGA Fellow and at least one CEGA Affiliate

Deadline: November 15, 2026
Location: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya
Funding or benefit: Individual projects may request up to US$67,000, and the announcement states "A total of $200,000 in research funding will be awarded to 3-4 projects. Individual projects may request up to $67,000." The feed post carries the same figures as US$67,000 per project and a US$200,000 pool across 3 to 4 projects.

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A researcher working on a laptop showing the Eni Award page

CompetitionOpen

Eni

Eni Award 2027 Young Talents From Africa Prize, €25,000 For African PhD Researchers In Energy And Environment

Eni is running the Young Talents from Africa section of its 2027 Eni Award, which gives two African PhD researchers €25,000 each to strengthen the doctoral work they are already doing. Candidates must hold African citizenship and be enrolled in the first or second year of a PhD at a university or research institute in Africa, working on energy or the environment. Applications close on 20 November 2026 at 5pm Central European Time.

Eligibility: You hold the citizenship of one of the African countries listed in the United Nations World Population Prospects, The 2024 Revision, which includes Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa

Deadline: November 20, 2026
Location: Algeria, Angola, Benin
Funding or benefit: Two awards of €25,000 each, paid in two instalments against a budget proposal the candidate prepares, which may not exceed the €25,000 prize amount. Winners also receive a customised plaque, and Eni directly provides return travel, transfers and up to two nights of board and lodging for the winner and a maximum of one accompanying person for the prize giving ceremony in Italy.

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FellowshipOpen

The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)

TWAS Research Professors in Least Developed Countries Programme 2026/2027

TWAS is inviting requests from research groups and scientific institutions in least developed countries, including many across Africa, to host a TWAS Research Professor for a two to four week visit during a one year appointment. Applications close 23 November 2026.

Eligibility: Requesting institution must be a research group or scientific institution located in a least developed country (LDC)

Deadline: November 23, 2026
Location: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi
Funding or benefit: TWAS covers economy class round-trip travel, additional travel expenses and an honorarium for the visiting professor. The host institution covers local expenses.

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A researcher being interviewed for radio, the media skills covered by the ACU training course

TrainingOpen

Association of Commonwealth Universities

ACU Writing For The Media Training 2027, Free Online Research Communication Course With The Conversation For Early Career Academics

The Association of Commonwealth Universities is offering twenty free places on an online media writing course designed and delivered with Universal Impact and The Conversation. It is aimed at early career researchers and academics at ACU member universities, and applications close on 24 November 2026 at 15:00 UTC.

Eligibility: You are a PhD candidate or already hold a PhD

Deadline: November 24, 2026
Location: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya
Funding or benefit: No cash grant. The training is free for the twenty selected participants, covering the group sessions, the one-to-one feedback sessions and the written pitch review.

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Energy and renewables scene for Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships Africa programmes

ScholarshipOpen

Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships (Manaaki New Zealand)

Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships Africa Programmes 2027: Trade Policy and Geothermal Energy Project Management

Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships has opened two fully supported Africa programmes for 2027: a Trade Policy short course delivered online from 25 January to 26 February 2027, and a Geothermal Energy Project Management short course delivered in New Zealand from 26 April to 24 May 2027. Nigerian citizens appear on both country lists, alongside nineteen other African countries. Applications for Trade Policy close 25 October 2026 and applications for Geothermal close 6 December 2026.

Eligibility: Citizen of one of the eligible countries for the selected programme (Nigeria appears on both the Trade Policy list and the Geothermal list)

Deadline: December 6, 2026
Location: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya
Funding or benefit: Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships Africa programmes cover the short course in the selected delivery mode. Specific coverage amounts, allowances and inclusions are not published on the programme page and applicants should confirm them directly on the official Manaaki application page before submitting.

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An aerial view of waves meeting a sandy beach between green headlands

GrantOpen

Commonwealth Secretariat

Commonwealth Blue Charter Incubator Round II, Grants Of £20,000 To £50,000 For Government Led Ocean Projects

Round II of the Commonwealth Blue Charter Incubator is open to national or sub national government bodies in all 56 Commonwealth member countries, including Nigeria, and funds country led ocean projects with grants of £20,000 to £50,000. Between 10 and 15 projects are selected by the second quarter of 2027, and applications close on 11 December 2026 at 23:59 GMT.

Eligibility: The lead applicant must be a legally established national or sub national government entity, such as a ministry, department, agency or other public body with formal government status

Deadline: December 11, 2026
Location: Botswana, Cameroon, Gabon
Funding or benefit: Grants of £20,000 to £50,000 per project, with a minimum project duration of six months and a maximum of eighteen months. Technical assistance and capacity building support comes through the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation.

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Blue and gold light installation with suspended glass forms inside a Durham University vaulted building

ScholarshipOpen

Durham University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Durham University PhD Studentships in Transformative Humanities 2027

Durham University is offering up to eleven fully funded PhD studentships for research that works across its Transformative Humanities framework, starting in October 2027. Two of the awards are open to overseas students at overseas tuition level, so applicants writing from Nigeria or elsewhere in Africa can compete. Applications close at noon UK time on 15 January 2027.

Eligibility: Accepted onto a Durham University PhD programme with a supervisory team led by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities or the Faculty of Social Sciences

Deadline: January 15, 2027
Location: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya
Funding or benefit: Each award covers tuition fees at home or overseas level and pays a stipend for 3.5 years full time or seven years part time at the rate set by UK Research and Innovation, with additional funding opportunities and access to training and placement resources. Durham publishes no fixed stipend figure for this scheme.

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Alumni of the IJP Southern African programme with Horst Köhler

FellowshipOpen

International Journalists' Programmes (IJP)

IJP Southern African Journalists' Fellowship Programme 2027

A two month work exchange in Germany for up to five young journalists from Southern Africa, with a fixed bursary of EUR 3,500, offered through the Horst Köhler named programme of the International Journalists’ Programmes.

Eligibility: Journalist from a SADC member state or Kenya: Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia or Zimbabwe

Deadline: January 20, 2027
Location: Kenya, South Africa, Zambia
Funding or benefit: A fixed bursary of EUR 3,500 is expected to cover most travel, accommodation and living expenses, with delegates funding any further costs themselves.

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SADC Media Awards Competition 2027 graphic showing the photo, print, television and radio categories, image supplied by the SADC Secretariat

CompetitionOpen

Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat

2027 SADC Media Awards Competition for Journalists

The SADC Secretariat has launched the 2027 SADC Media Awards in photo, print, television and radio journalism. Each category pays US$2,500 to the winner and US$1,000 to the runner up. Entries close 28 February 2027.

Eligibility: Journalists from all SADC Member States

Deadline: February 28, 2027
Location: Angola, Botswana, Comoros
Funding or benefit: US$2,500 first prize and US$1,000 runner up prize in each of the four categories

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Pro Helvetia residency in Switzerland artwork

FellowshipOpen

Pro Helvetia, the Swiss Arts Council

Pro Helvetia Residency in Switzerland 2027 for Artists and Cultural Practitioners from Africa and Other Regions

Pro Helvetia funds residencies of up to three months at a partner institution in Switzerland for artists and cultural practitioners who live in one of its liaison office regions, which covers West, Central, East and Southern Africa among other areas. Accommodation, travel and daily allowances are covered, and applications open on 1 January each year with a deadline of 1 March at 23:59 Central European Time.

Eligibility: Artists and cultural practitioners with permanent residence in one of Pro Helvetia's liaison office regions and active participation in that cultural scene

Deadline: March 1, 2027
Location: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya
Funding or benefit: Pro Helvetia covers accommodation, travel costs and daily allowances for a residency of up to three months, plus a coach from the local artistic field, and can add a workstation and a contribution towards production or material costs on request. Applicants with childcare responsibilities can request up to 1,000 CHF per month towards childcare or the travel costs of their children and, where necessary, a carer.

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ARSO 14th Continental Essay Competition concept note cover on the cotton to clothing value chain under the AfCFTA

CompetitionOpen

African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO)

ARSO 14th Continental Essay Competition 2026/2027 for African Tertiary Students

ARSO invites tertiary students across African Union member states, aged 35 and below, to the 14th Continental Essay Competition on advancing intra African trade through the cotton to clothing value chain under the AfCFTA, with cash prizes of $1,000, $800 and $500.

Eligibility: Enrolled in an accredited tertiary institution in an African Union member state at the time of submission

Deadline: April 23, 2027
Location: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya
Funding or benefit: Cash prizes of $1,000 for first place, $800 for second place and $500 for third place, each with certificates of excellence.

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Opportunities for founders in Malawi

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