Livestock Start-up Investment Readiness Programme

SAIS, a project run by GIZ for the German development ministry (BMZ) and co-funded by the Gates Foundation, is looking for African tech start-ups in dairy and aquaculture for its 2027 Livestock Investment Readiness Programme. Selected start-ups get a year of tailored support, up to EUR 15,000 in technical assistance spent on services they need, sponsored trips to Nairobi and introductions to investors. SAIS takes no equity.

What you get:

• Up to EUR 15,000 in technical assistance budget for consultancies, expert support, legal advice, marketing, licences, certifications, product work, market entry and staff training
• Fully sponsored trips to two in-person SAIS community events alongside the Sankalp Africa Summit in Nairobi, plus one additional sector conference
• Invite-only pitch sessions, introductions to investors and funds, and guidance on fundraising and due diligence
• A dedicated SAIS Navigator and a community of 100+ portfolio companies
• No equity taken
• For eligible start-ups later on: a SAIS Scale-up Grant of up to EUR 40,000 and working capital loans of up to EUR 50,000

What you'll do:

• Name one member of the management team as the main SAIS contact and give about two hours a week through the programme
• Send at least one team member to two in-person SAIStival events in Nairobi
• Work with assigned experts and service providers on agreed support measures
• Share business data (revenue, users, customers, funding raised, employees) during the programme and for at least a year after, and help with customer impact surveys

Key dates:

• 15 November 2026: applications close
• 16 to 30 November 2026: screening and interviews
• December 2026: selection decisions
• January 2027: virtual kick-off and onboarding
• 22 February 2027: SAIStival 2027, Nairobi
• 24 to 25 February 2027: Sankalp Africa Summit, Nairobi
• March 2027 to February 2028: programme services and budget deployed
• February 2028: graduation at SAIStival 2028

More information:

• Priority focus: dairy (animal health, genetics, feed and forage) with particular relevance to Kenya and Ethiopia, and aquaculture (genetics and feed) with particular relevance to Nigeria and Senegal
• Start-ups based in other African countries are equally encouraged if they show relevance to these value chains

• For-profit company registered in Africa
• Management team of at least two people
• Pre-seed through Series A
• At least a minimum viable product, ideally recurring revenue, paying customers and established partnerships
• Strengthens dairy or aquaculture value chains
• Uses technology to scale