SPARK Joint Innovation Facility (JIF) Program 2026 (With up to EUR 200,000 in Funding)

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About SPARK JIF Programme

The Joint Innovation Facility (JIF) is an Africa–Europe funding and collaboration mechanism designed to scale digitally enabled and commercially viable innovations through strong cross-border partnerships. Supported solutions embed climate-positive impacts while driving digital transformation and market expansion. JIF supports digital solutions that are ready to grow across markets between Africa and Europe.

• Sponsor Organisation: SPARK

Benefits of SPARK JIF Programme

Selected projects will benefit from non-dilutive funding and tailored support to accelerate cross-border scaling.

• Non-dilutive funding of EUR 100,000 or EUR 200,000, provided through a milestone-based grant structure to support digital development and market expansion
• Tailored support through the JIF venture Studio, including expert mentorship, technical advisory, investment readiness support, and peer learning across Africa and Europe
• Increased visibility and strategic positioning within the Africa–Europe digital transformation transition agenda, in line with EU–Africa partnership goals and Agenda 2063

SPARK JIF Programme Requirements

JIF supports joint collaboration ventures implemented by cross-border consortia and led by an African partner.

Eligible consortia may include the following types of organisations:

• For-profit companies (small and growing businesses or larger companies) with an established, revenue-generating solution
• Entrepreneurship Support Organisations (ESOs) and Innovation Support Organisations (ISOs), including innovation hubs
• Applied research organisations, such as universities, research centres, or research institutes
• Non-profit organisations, where relevant to the innovation and partnership logic

Consortia must consist of at least two partners collaborating across borders (Africa–Europe).

The lead partner must be an African for-profit entity or an African ESO/ISO, based in one of the JIF priority countries.

Application Date and Process

Applications to the Joint Innovation Facility follow a two-stage selection process and are submitted online.

Stage 1: Pre-screening

Interested consortia are invited to complete a pre-screening application via the online platform.

At this stage, applicants will be asked to:

• Present their project idea and consortium setup
• Demonstrate compliance with the eligibility criteria
• Provide high-level information on commercial viability, operational capacity, and climate-positive impact

Only applicants who successfully pass the pre-screening stage will be invited to submit a full grant proposal.

Stage 2: Full grant proposal

Shortlisted consortia will be invited to submit a full grant proposal, aligned with the eligibility and selection criteria outlined in the call documentation.

The final selection will assess:

• Strategic alignment with JIF objectives
• Quality and scalability of the proposed solution
• Strength of the consortium and cross-border collaboration
• Climate-positive impact and digital innovation focus

Application Deadline

30 April, 2026

Scholarship Application Portal

View details of SPARK JIF Programme

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