Pierre Castel Prize 2026 (With up to €25,000 in Funding)

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About Pierre Castel Prize

This pan-African program aims to promote innovation on the continent
and support high-potential entrepreneurs committed to the sustainable transformation of food systems.

• Sponsor Organisation: Fonds Pierre Castel

Benefits of Pierre Castel Prize

Awards

National Winners

Each national winner receives the following benefits:

• €25,000 Financial endowment

• One year Mentorship Program

• One year persoanlized coaching

Pan-African Laureate

In addition to his or her national endowment, the pan-African winner benefits from:

• €10 000 Additional endowment bringing the total prize to €35,000

• Pan-African Ambassador: A one-year support as an Ambassador of the Pierre Castel Prize.

• International events : Support for participation in key international events.

• Media spotlight : Pan-African visibility

Finalists

As soon as they are pre-selected, the finalists have access to structuring resources to strengthen their skills and integrate a collective entrepreneurial dynamic.

• Entrepreneurial certification training :Access to e-learning courses offered by the Geneva International Trade Centre (ITC).

• African Builders Network: An integration, from the pre-selection, into a community of entrepreneurs committed to the development of the African continent.

Pierre Castel Prize Requirements

Applicants must:

• Be between 18 and 45 years old;
• Be nationals and residents of one of the countries concerned by this edition: Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Madagascar or Democratic Republic of Congo;
• Be the founders or co-founders of a legally incorporated company that has been in operation for at least two years;
• Carry out a development project with a measurable economic, social and environmental impact.

Candidates will be required to demonstrate:

• Strong leadership and an ability to embody a role as an "Ambassador of the Prize";
• An innovative project that responds to a concrete need of food systems;
• A strong territorial anchoring and a contribution to local economic development;
• A proven entrepreneurial capacity, reflected in the structuring and growth of the company;
• A measurable economic, social and environmental impact;
• A potential for development and scaling

Application Date and Process

• A CV;
• A copy of an identity document;
• An official document attesting to the legal existence of the company;
• A presentation of the company;
• The company's financial elements (balance sheet or operating account for the financial years 2024 and 2025)
• A presentation of the development project.

Application Deadline

30 May, 2026

Opportunity Application

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