The Pierre Castel Fund – Acting with Africa, in collaboration with Castel Afrique, is organising
the 9e edition of the Pierre Castel Prize, in seven African countries:
Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
This pan-African program aims to promote innovation on the continent
and support high-potential entrepreneurs
committed to the sustainable transformation of food systems.
The 2026 edition is part of a dynamic of entrepreneurial excellence and distinguishes innovative companies,
capable of generating a concrete economic, social and environmental impact,
while carrying out a growth ambition on the scale of their market.
Applications are open from 1er April to May 30, 2026
The 2026 edition of the Pierre Castel Prize
The Pierre Castel Prize 2026 opens a new edition placed under the sign of entrepreneurial excellence, impact and ambition. Designed as a real lever for development, it is aimed at committed entrepreneurs, who are not content to innovate, but design sustainable solutions, in line with the economic, social and environmental realities of the African continent.
The projects to be supported must be characterised by:
- An innovation rooted in the needs of the field;
- A measurable economic, social and environmental impact;
- An ability to develop and change scale.
Conditions of participation and sectors concerned
Eligibility requirements
Applicants must:
- Be between 18 and 45 years old;
- Be nationals and residents of one of the countries concerned by this edition: Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar or Democratic Republic of Congo;
- Be the founders or co-founders of a legally incorporated company that has been in operation for at least two years;
- Carry out a development project with a measurable economic, social and environmental impact.
Desired profile
Candidates will be required to demonstrate:
- Strong leadership and an ability to embody a role as an “Ambassador of the Prize”;
- An innovative project that responds to a concrete need of food systems;
- A strong territorial anchoring and a contribution to local economic development;
- A proven entrepreneurial capacity, reflected in the structuring and growth of the company;
- A measurable economic, social and environmental impact;
- A potential for development and scaling.
Sectors and innovations concerned
Projects must be part of an innovation approach applied to food systems. These innovations can be: technological, service-based, organizational, linked to the economic model or intervene within value chains.
They can include sustainable agricultural production, processing, resource development, logistics and trade solutions or technologies for food systems.
Documents to be provided
- A CV;
- A copy of an identity document;
- An official document attesting to the legal existence of the company;
- A presentation of the company;
- The company’s financial elements (balance sheet or operating account for the financial years 2024 and 2025)
- A presentation of the development project.
Structuring support
The Pierre Castel Prize distinguishes eight of the continent’s most promising entrepreneurs. In addition to financial support, the winners benefit from structured support combining mentoring, personalized coaching and networking, designed to accelerate the growth of their business and strengthen their impact.
Among them, a pan-African laureate is distinguished to embody the Prize on a continental scale and carry an ambitious vision of African entrepreneurship.
Awards
Each national winner receives the following benefits:
- National Winners
- €25,000 Financial endowment
- 1 year Mentorship Program
- 1 year Personalized coaching
2. Pan-African Laureate
In addition to his or her national endowment, the pan-African winner benefits from:
-
Additional endowment bringing the total prize to €35,000
- A one-year support as an Ambassador of the Pierre Castel Prize.
- Support for participation in key international events.
- Pan-African visibility
3. Finalists
As soon as they are pre-selected, the finalists have access to structuring resources to strengthen their skills and integrate a collective entrepreneurial dynamic.
Entrepreneurial certification training: Access to e-learning courses offered by the Geneva International Trade Centre (ITC).
