Q: What are the academic qualifications for the program?
There are no specific academic prerequisites to apply for the program.

Q: Do I need to currently be running a green or climate-focused enterprise?
Yes. The Green RISE Africa Accelerate is designed for individuals who are currently leading an organization whose work creates dignified green jobs and climate solutions. We can only accept individuals who are already on this path on a full-time basis.

Q. What is a green enterprise?
Green enterprises do one or more of the following: build climate resilience, contribute to climate mitigation, protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity, reduce natural resource consumption and inefficiency, eliminate waste and pollution.

Key sectors for green entrepreneurship include renewable energy especially for productive use (e.g., solar irrigation, clean cooking, e-mobility, etc.), climate-smart agriculture, waste management and circular economy, water management, and green construction.

Q. Am I eligible to apply for the Accelerator if my business is not currently a green enterprise, but I am interested in pursuing a green angle to my work?
Assuming your enterprise meets the other eligibility criteria, we may, on a limited case-by-case basis, consider enterprises that are green-adjacent which are able to articulate a clear strategy on how they are planning to become green.

Q. What is the Green RISE Africa Fellowship? How is it different from the Green RISE Africa Accelerator? Can I apply to both?
Over the 5 years of Green RISE Africa, we expect a substantial number of green entrepreneurs who demonstrate growth potential to graduate from the Fellowship and enter into the Accelerator program.

While the focus of the Green RISE Africa Accelerator is on building green enterprise development skills, the Green RISE Africa Fellowship is an individual leadership development program focused on building moral leadership skills.

The eligibility criteria for both programs is slightly different, and beyond being open to green enterprise leaders from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, and Sierra Leone, the Fellowship is additionally open to applicants from Tanzania, Burundi, South Sudan, Somalia, Liberia and The Gambia. If you are interested in a leadership development program, you can find more information, including eligibility criteria, here for the East Africa program and here for the West Africa program. Applications for the Fellowship will close on May 11, 2026.

Please consider the offerings and eligibility criteria of the Green RISE Africa Fellowship and Accelerator carefully. You are welcome to apply to both programs, but may only participate in one per year.

Q. Can I apply if my enterprise does not currently employ many young women.
Young women in work (YWIW) is a key outcome of the Green RISE Africa program. If your enterprise does not currently employ young women– either through direct employment or through your value chains, you may still apply if you can demonstrate a commitment to employing more young women as part of your organizational strategy. Successful applicants will also need to demonstrate that the value chains in which they work are conducive to employing young women living in poverty.

Q. Can I choose whether I apply for the Validate or Ready to Scale track?
No. There is a single application for the Green RISE Africa Accelerator. Based on the information provided, Acumen will, in its sole discretion, assign selected applicants to either the Validate or Ready to Scale track. This decision will reflect each enterprise’s level of maturity, anticipated needs, and a holistic review of the overall applicant pool.

Q: Is this program exclusively for women and youth who lead enterprises? Are certain applicants especially encouraged to apply?
No, the program is open to men and non-youth, but women and youth applicants who meet other eligibility criteria are strongly encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to women and youth applicants, as well as persons with disabilities (PWDs) and forcibly displaced persons, including refugees.

Q: Are there minimum or maximum age requirements?
There is no maximum age limit, however the applicant must be over the age of 18 to apply for the program. Youth applicants 35 and under are strongly encouraged to apply.

Q: Is English proficiency a requirement?
Yes. All sessions are conducted in English. Proficiency in the language that the program will be conducted in is a requirement to ensure participants are able to give and get the most from this experience.

Q: I’m not based in East or West Africa. Can I still apply?
No. At this time, we are targeting individuals who are based and whose work has a direct impact in the countries below:

• East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia,)
• West Africa (Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria)

Q: Can I apply if I have graduated from an Acumen Academy Fellowship/ Accelerator program ?
Yes. If you have graduated from the Acumen Academy Fellowship or Accelerator program, you are still eligible to apply for the Green RISE Africa Accelerator.

Q: Can I apply if I have taken Acumen Academy courses? Q: Can two people from the same organization apply to Green RISE Africa Accelerator?
Absolutely! Taking Acumen Academy courses prior to the program is strongly encouraged.

Q: Can two people from the same organization apply to Green RISE Africa Accelerator?
The Green RISE Africa Accelerator is a significant investment in an entrepreneur's business and leadership journey. As the program is competitive and only a limited number of places are available per cohort, we aim to amplify our impact by asking participants to take their learnings back to their teams and communities.

This means that while multiple people from the same organization may apply in a given year (assuming they are all key decision-makers), should more than one meet our basic eligibility criteria, we will only be able to select one person to advance through the selection process. We encourage you to keep this in mind when deciding whether one or more people from your organization apply in the same cycle.

Q: How many participants are selected each year?
We expect to select 22 entrepreneurs in each program track in Year 1.

Q: What should I keep in mind while applying?
Keep the following tips in mind as you approach your application.

• Be concise. Please be mindful of stated word limits as the application will not allow you to exceed them. It is strongly recommended that you compose your responses in a word processor with a character count feature.

• Save your draft often. From the beginning, make a habit of clicking the SAVE DRAFT button at the bottom of the page to avoid losing your work. You can always return to your application form when you save it as a draft. However, you will not be able to make changes after you complete the submission.

• Save an offline copy. We strongly recommend you read through the entire application form first. Enter and save your background information, then spend time offline composing your responses to the essay questions. When you are ready to submit, copy and paste your responses into the online form. Acumen is not responsible for any lost text, so save early and save often.
• Apply early. Start well in advance to avoid any last-minute technical difficulties or connectivity problems. We do not accept applications after the deadline.

• Prioritize evidence. The more stats, data or evidence you can share to help us understand the current status of your venture, the better.
• Be honest. We invite you to put your best foot forward. The best responses are not AI-generated. The most effective responses will offer us a clear view of who you are as a leader, the current status of your enterprise, your growth trajectory and your needs. This will help us assess if the program would be a good fit for you and which track would best serve you. We therefore encourage you to be transparent about the challenges you are facing.

Q: What are the technology requirements for accessing and completing the application?
To apply to the Accelerator, applicants will need a stable internet connection as the application is meant to be completed on an online platform. Additionally, we highly recommend applying through a laptop as the mobile experience is not recommended. All application documents and components must be submitted through the online portal. We highly recommend using Google Chrome or Firefox as your browser.

If you experience issues submitting any element of your application, please try submitting your application from a different browser, computer, or a different location with stronger internet connectivity.

Late submissions due to internet/technology issues will not be accepted so we encourage you to submit your application well in advance before the deadline. If you continue experiencing issues, please contact Acumen’s team via accelerator@acumen.org.

Q: What if I have trouble completing or submitting my application?
To submit your application, you’ll need to check that the deadline hasn’t yet passed. Then, you'll need to complete all required tasks within your application. Finally, you’ll need to confirm that you’ve responded to all the mandatory questions and that the files you’ve uploaded meet the requirements.

Following this, you should be able to submit your application without encountering any issues. See SMApply “Completing an Application FAQ” and if you keep facing issues contact Acumen’s team via accelerator@acumenacademy.org, sharing your email address and screenshot of the issue you’re facing.

Q: Will I get notified after my application has been submitted?
Yes. Our system automatically sends a confirmation email once your initial application has been submitted. If you do not receive one immediately after submitting your application, please check your email settings to make sure that our emails are not caught in your spam filter. We will send emails through the following domains: smapplycsm@momentive.ai, @acumenacademy.org, and @acumen.org.

Q: Can I edit my application after it’s been submitted?
No, this is not possible. However, it is possible to save your application before submitting, and return to it later for editing. Make sure you double check all elements of your application before it is submitted. We cannot accept edits or changes after the fact, either through the platform or by email.

Q: Are recommendation letters required?
No. However, during the later stages of the selection process, we will ask you to provide the contact information of two professional references that we can reach out to, if you make it to the final stage of the selection process. Your references should be people with whom you have worked closely. They should not be family, friends, or spouses.

Q: What is the attendance policy? What if I need to miss a session?
The program has a 100% attendance requirement, and all participants must attend all program sessions, complete assignments between sessions, or face possible removal from the program. We make exceptions for emergencies on a case-by-case basis.

Q. Are there separate cohorts for East Africa and West Africa?
No, one pan-African cohort will be selected for each program track.

Q: What is the expected time commitment for participating entrepreneurs?
For the 10 months of the program (August 2026 - June 2027), participants can expect to commit 2.5 -4 hours a week on the Accelerator, engaging in sessions or assignments intended to drive the growth of their respective enterprises. During the in-person immersive sessions, participants will be expected to be available for the full duration of the sessions (approximately 5 days). Each program track has up to two in-person immersive sessions.

It should also be noted that participants will be required to complete pre-work, including completion of self-paced trainings, in July 2026 before the official start of the Accelerator.

Q: What’s meant by an in-person immersive?
In-person immersives are typically held over 5 days. These include interactive discussions, individual reflection, peer coaching, and informal relationship building. There is typically pre-work (of 8 hours) for each immersive that is to be completed 2 weeks beforehand in order to prepare for and make the most of the immersive learning experience. Accelerator participants are expected to be fully present for the sessions (typically 8 hours a day) and ensure there are no competing commitments during this time.

Each program will communicate the details on these during the selection process. Accelerator participants are expected to stay at the residential location for the entire duration, even if they are located in the same city where the immersive is being held.

Q: Where will the in-person immersives be held?
One in-person immersive is planned for Nairobi, Kenya, and a second is planned for Lagos, Nigeria. The exact dates and logistics of the seminars will be communicated to selected participants.

Q: Is internet connectivity a requirement to participate in the program?
Yes. Some sessions will be delivered virtually, and assignments between sessions will be provided via an online platform. The primary method of communication regarding logistics and other important information is email. Therefore, all participants must have regular and reliable internet access that allows the downloading and uploading of documents as well as audio and video files.

Q: Do I automatically qualify for project funding if I participate in the Program?
Yes. Validate track participants will have access to project funding of up to $25,000, and Ready to Scale track participants will have access to project funding of up to $50,000. However, this is not unrestricted funding. It is tied to delivery of impact projects, which aim to create or improve work opportunities for young rural women. Our team will work with participants to align their impact projects with their organizational growth and strategy.

Q: What post-Program support is made available?
Once you complete the program, you are invited into the Foundry, Acumen’s global alumni community. Through the Foundry, you’ll have access to a network of peers within your sector (Green RISE Connect) and across other social sectors, funding, coaching and learning opportunities, as well as platforms to showcase your work. You will access the Foundry newsletter and be invited to join the online Foundry community on Circle.