Big time opportunity for businesses: Applications Open for the 2026 Igniting Dreams Fellowship

News Desk report 

(Odopa2@gmail.com)

Coalition for Positive Impact (CPI), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, has opened applications for the 2026 Igniting Dreams Fellowship. Over the last 7 years, the program has supported over 50 young founders in Northern Ghana to grow early-stage businesses into job-creating, revenue-generating, and scalable ventures.

The fellowship supports entrepreneurs who are showing early signs of market demand and are focused on:

1. Building businesses that can grow beyond their current capacity
2. Generating recurring or consistent revenue
3. Embedding sustainability into how they operate and scale
4. Expanding distribution, customers, and jobs
Applications are open from January 1 to February 28, 2026

Bridging The Pioneer Gap for Underfunded Young Entrepreneurs
Young entrepreneurs, particularly founders and women in marginalized communities, face a critical "pioneer gap", a lack of access to the risk-tolerant capital and the business model innovation needed to transform their ventures into investment-ready businesses.

The Igniting Dreams Fellowship combines seed funding alongside intensive business development services (BDS) to de-risks these ventures and help them scale.

Who Should Apply?
The program is open to young entrepreneurs between 15 - 35 years whose businesses are based in Northern Ghana, consisting of the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Savannah, and North East regions. Businesses across various sectors are eligible, including agriculture, technology, fashion, health care, education, green energy, creative industries, and social enterprises.

Women and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) are strongly encouraged to apply as part of CPI and Mastercard Foundation’s commitment to driving inclusive youth entrepreneurship.

Applicants are expected to demonstrate commitment to their business and a willingness to participate fully in the fellowship activities.

Key Requirements

● Business registration documents
● CV/Resume
● 2 Referees
● Complete an application form
● A 2-minute video
What Fellows Will Receive
Entrepreneurs selected for the Igniting Dreams Fellowship will benefit from:

● Seed funding up to GHC 100,000 to grow their businesses
● Structured business training and capacity building
● One-on-one and group mentorship
● Induction to Niibala Alliance: a lifelong network of peers, mentors, funders and partners
● Increased visibility and credibility within the entrepreneurial ecosystem

The fellowship is designed not only to support business growth but also to equip entrepreneurs with the skills and resources required to sustainably scale their ventures.

How to Apply
Applications are submitted online through the official CPI website. The application process is straightforward and free of charge. Interested entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply early and ensure that all information provided is accurate and complete.

Apply Now: https://cpimpact.org/ignitingdreams

About The Coalition for Positive Impact

Coalition for Positive Impact (CPI) is a youth-led organization committed to empowering young people in underserved African regions to build scalable and sustainable businesses that drive inclusive economic transformation and social impact through business development, economic policy advocacy and access to capital.

 Through programs like Igniting Dreams, CPI continues to play a critical role in strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem in underserved African regions. Over the last seven (7) years, the organisation has empowered over 5,000 young people and trained and funded 50 young entrepreneurs, resulting in over 400 jobs across Northern Ghana.

 This has bridged critical skills and financing gaps, reduced youth unemployment and contributed to inclusive local economic growth in Ghana’s poorest regions.