Wharton Africa New Venture Competition

The flagship pitch competition of the Wharton Africa Business Forum for early-stage ventures with a link to Africa. The top finalists pitch to a panel of judges at the conference for a share of non-dilutive funding. At the previous forum, 30,000 USD in non-dilutive funding was split across the top three finalists.

What you get: ➤ A share of non-dilutive (non-equity) funding. At the prior forum, WABF32, 30,000 USD was awarded across the top three finalists ➤ A spot pitching to a panel of judges at the Wharton Africa Business Forum if you reach the top finalists ➤ Networking with founders and investors from across the African continent

What you'll do: ➤ Apply with your early-stage venture through the official application form ➤ If selected as a top finalist, pitch your startup live to the judging panel at the conference

Key dates: ➤ Application deadline: August 1, 2026 at 11:59pm ET. Late applications are not considered

More information: ➤ The 2026 cycle (WABF33) application is hosted on a Google Form. The official whartonafrica.org site still shows the 2025 (WABF32) cycle and has not yet been updated for 2026 ➤ This year's forum theme is Built by Billions: Africa's Future on Africa's Terms

• Ventures with fewer than 50 full-time employees
• Ventures that have raised less than 250,000 USD to date
• Ventures with a direct link to Africa, which may be headquartered outside Africa