The Coalition for Positive Impact (CPI), in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation, has opened applications for the 2026 Igniting Dreams Fellowship, a program supporting young entrepreneurs in northern Ghana who are building early-stage businesses with growth potential.
Applications opened Jan. 1 and will close Feb. 28, 2026.
Over the past seven years, the fellowship has supported more than 50 young founders across northern Ghana, helping them grow small ventures into scalable, revenue-generating businesses. Beneficiary businesses have expanded into new markets, created jobs and contributed to local economic development.
Supporting growth-ready businesses
The fellowship targets entrepreneurs who have demonstrated early market demand and are prepared to scale their operations. Priority is given to ventures seeking to expand beyond their current capacity, generate consistent revenue and operate sustainably.
Businesses growing their customer base, strengthening distribution networks and creating employment opportunities are especially encouraged to apply.
Bridging the “pioneer gap”
Many young entrepreneurs — particularly women and founders from marginalized communities — face challenges accessing risk-tolerant capital and business development support. This financing challenge, often referred to as the “pioneer gap,” prevents promising ventures from becoming investment-ready and scalable.
The Igniting Dreams Fellowship aims to address that gap by combining seed funding with intensive business development services. Selected entrepreneurs receive financial support alongside hands-on mentorship to strengthen business models, reduce risk and prepare for long-term growth.
Eligibility criteria
The fellowship is open to entrepreneurs ages 15 to 35 whose businesses are based in northern Ghana. Eligible regions include Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Savannah and North East.
Applicants from sectors including agriculture, technology, fashion, health care, education, green energy, creative industries and social enterprises are eligible. CPI and the Mastercard Foundation encourage applications from women and persons with disabilities as part of their commitment to inclusive entrepreneurship.
Applicants must demonstrate commitment to their ventures and participate fully in all fellowship activities.
Application requirements
Applicants must submit business registration documents, a curriculum vitae or résumé and contact details for two referees. They are also required to complete an online application form and submit a two-minute video introducing their business and vision.
Benefits for selected fellows
Selected fellows will receive up to 100,000 Ghana cedis (GHS 100,000) in seed funding to support business growth. Participants will also receive structured business training, capacity-building sessions and both individual and group mentorship.
Fellows will be inducted into the Niibala Alliance, a network of entrepreneurs, mentors, funders and partners. The fellowship also provides increased visibility within the entrepreneurial ecosystem, helping participants attract partnerships and future investment opportunities.
How to apply
Applications must be submitted online at cpimpact.org/ignitingdreams. The process is free of charge.
CPI encourages prospective applicants to apply early and ensure all submitted information is accurate and complete.
About CPI
The Coalition for Positive Impact is a youth-led organization focused on empowering young people in underserved African regions to build scalable and sustainable businesses. The organization works in business development, economic policy advocacy and access to capital to promote inclusive economic transformation.
Through initiatives such as the Igniting Dreams Fellowship, CPI says it has supported more than 5,000 young people over the past seven years. It has trained and funded 50 entrepreneurs, contributing to the creation of more than 400 jobs across northern Ghana.
