You’ll gain tailored mentorship, training, investor exposure, and connections across African and European innovation ecosystems — helping you level up your product and scale your impact.

"No, participation in Challenger Digital & Green is fully funded — there are no fees for selected startups. The programme is part of ESTDEV's activities within the Digital and Green Innovation Action, which falls under the framework of Team Europe's Twin Transition Initiative in Africa. The Twin Transition Initiative is co-funded by Team Europe partners (Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Estonia) and the European Commission."

The program is hybrid, combining in-person networking opportunities (bootcamps) with online learning and mentoring. Founders should plan to dedicate 4–6 hours per week for training, mentoring, and assignments during the acceleration phase.

The program operates in English across both regions.

Challenger Digital & Green is implemented by Civitta, mLab, and GrowthAfrica, with support from Startup Wise Guys and Latitude59. The programme is part of ESTDEV's activities within the Digital and Green Innovation Action, which falls under the framework of Team Europe's Twin Transition Initiative in Africa. The Twin Transition Initiative is co-funded by Team Europe partners (Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Estonia) and the European Commission.