Practical venture building
Support with customer discovery, business models, product development, technology and the foundations required to build a viable enterprise.
Impact Initiatives
One young person can create opportunity for an entire community.
ScaleGate Africa helps talented young people turn ideas, skills and local challenges into sustainable ventures through practical support, mentorship and programmes delivered with partners.
Explore the page
Three areas of impact.
Explore sponsored venture support for young people, programmes developed with partners, and a permanent track for Africa’s creative and cultural industries.
01
Venture Philanthropy
Free or fully sponsored venture support for selected young people who have potential but lack access to the resources needed to begin.
02Partner Funded Programmes
Entrepreneurship programmes developed with institutions, foundations, companies, donors and ecosystem partners.
03Creative and Cultural Industries
Support that helps young creative practitioners transform cultural practice into sustainable ventures and livelihoods.
01 Venture Philanthropy
Back one young person.
Open opportunity for many.
Across Africa, many talented young people understand the challenges and opportunities within their communities but lack access to the knowledge, networks, funding and practical support needed to build sustainable ventures.
ScaleGate Africa identifies promising young people, especially those who would not normally have access to entrepreneurial opportunities, and works alongside them to transform an idea, talent or local challenge into a viable enterprise.
Mentorship and access
Guidance from experienced practitioners alongside connections to customers, partners, networks and relevant funding opportunities.
Fully sponsored participation
Selected young entrepreneurs receive free or fully sponsored support, allowing potential and commitment to matter more than personal financial access.
02 Partner Funded Programmes
Build programmes around real communities, sectors and challenges.
ScaleGate Africa works with foundations, institutions, companies, donors and ecosystem partners to design and deliver entrepreneurship and venture building programmes. Each programme combines practical learning with direct support that helps participants move from ideas towards sustainable ventures.
Founder and venture building programmes
Cohort design, founder selection, practical curriculum and direct delivery from idea to a stronger company.
Open innovation and challenge programmes
Turn an institutional or industry challenge into a structured route for finding, testing and supporting relevant solutions.
Market access programmes
Prepare ventures for new markets and connect them with relevant customers, partners and operating support.
Venture studios
Build new ventures around an institutional capability, technology or clearly defined market problem.
03 Creative and Cultural Industries
Turn creative practice into a sustainable future.
Africa’s artists, filmmakers, designers, performers, craftspeople and cultural practitioners are potential entrepreneurs, employers and drivers of economic and social development.
Build sustainable creative ventures
ScaleGate Africa helps young practitioners develop the structures, business models and partnerships that allow their work to survive, grow and generate livelihoods.
Protect cultural value
The objective is not to commercialise culture at any cost, but to strengthen creative ventures while protecting the meaning and value of the work.
TheatreFilmMusicDesign
FashionPerformanceCraftsHeritage
There is a door here for you.
Whether you want to solve a local challenge, build a future through creativity or help fund opportunities for young people, ScaleGate Africa wants to hear from you.