OFFICIAL CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: ENTERPRISING FUTURES SCHOLARSHIP 2026
OFFICIAL CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: ENTERPRISING FUTURES SCHOLARSHIP 2026
Partnership: The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the Dutch Enterprise Agency (RVO), and One Young World.
Opportunity: Full Scholarship to the One Young World Summit 2026.
Location: Cape Town, South Africa.
Event Dates: October 30 – November 7, 2026.
OVERVIEW
By 2030, over two billion young people will be the driving force behind global economies. This demographic shift presents an unprecedented opportunity for innovation and sustainable growth, particularly in emerging and frontier markets. To harness this potential, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Dutch Enterprise Agency (RVO), has partnered with One Young World to present the Enterprising Futures Scholarship 2026.
This scholarship is specifically designed for visionary young entrepreneurs and business leaders who are developing scalable solutions to sustainability challenges. The program aims to bridge the gap for changemakers who face barriers to international exposure, providing them with the resources, networks, and global stage needed to amplify their community impact.
THE SUMMIT EXPERIENCE
Scholarship recipients will attend the One Young World Summit 2026 in Cape Town, joining 2,000 young leaders from over 190 countries. This global forum allows delegates to:
• Share innovative business models and sustainability solutions.
• Engage with world-class experts and global icons.
• Build international connections to support long-term business resilience and scalability.
• Participate in the “Enterprising Futures” pre- and post-summit specialized programming.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Candidates must meet the following requirements to be considered:
• Age: Between 18 and 35 years old by November 2026.
• Professional Status: Must be a founder or leading member of a scalable start-up or Small to Medium-sized Enterprise (SME).
• Impact: Ability to demonstrate measurable social and/or environmental impact through their business activities.
• Language: Proficiency in working English (required for all summit and program sessions).
• Availability: Full commitment to the program dates (October 30 – November 7, 2026) and associated pre- and post-summit activities.
TARGET REGIONS
Applicants must be nationals and residents of one of the following countries:
• West & Central Africa: Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal.
• East & Southern Africa: Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda.
• North Africa & Middle East: Algeria, Egypt, Iraq (including Kurdistan region), Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia.
• Sahel: Mali.
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY
The Dutch MFA and One Young World are committed to fostering an inclusive environment. We strongly encourage applications from all eligible young entrepreneurs regardless of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, religion, or education. We specifically welcome applications from both rural and urban entrepreneurs.
METHOD OF APPLICATION
Interested changemakers are invited to review the full scholarship details and submit their applications via the official One Young World portal:
Apply Here: https://www.oneyoungworld.com/scholarship/enterprisingfutures2026
Take your innovation to the global stage and join a community dedicated to shaping the future of sustainable business.
