Opportunities

CompetitionSaudi Water Authority

An international competition from Saudi Arabia's national water authority for innovators, startups, NGOs, research institutes and utilities working on desalination, water reclamation, conservation, digital water management and wastewater solutions. Open worldwide with no entry fee, it rewards standout water innovations with cash prizes and support to pilot and scale them.

Open worldwideWaterFor entrepreneurs and NGOsvia Opportunity Desk

EventInternational Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

A global forum from the International Renewable Energy Agency for young people working on the energy transition, from entrepreneurs and researchers to civil society advocates. Selected participants join panels, workshops and peer exchange with renewable energy leaders and policymakers from around the world.

Open worldwideGreen energyFor entrepreneurs and NGOsvia Opportunity Desk

FundingUS Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Middle East Regional Cooperation Programme

Funding for joint applied research and innovation projects that tackle shared regional challenges and show a clear route to application, commercialisation and wider adoption. Every project must bring together an Israeli organisation and at least one organisation from an eligible Middle East or North African country or territory.

MENA regionGeneralFor entrepreneurs and NGOsvia Grants.gov

CompetitionWorld Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and Global Resilience Partnership (GRP)

Independent recognition for businesses whose projects strengthen climate resilience, across infrastructure, water stewardship, agriculture and food systems, and protecting people. Open to companies of any size anywhere, whether they are adapting their own operations or selling resilience solutions to others.

Open worldwideClimate adaptationFor entrepreneursvia Opportunity Desk

FundingSwiss Re Foundation

The tenth edition of the Swiss Re Foundation's Entrepreneurs for Resilience programme backs for-profit and hybrid social enterprises that combine physical clinics with digital tools to bring affordable primary healthcare to underserved communities. Shortlisted ventures receive pilot funding and technical assistance, and finalists share a larger pool of blended finance over two years of implementation.

Open worldwideGeneralFor entrepreneursvia VC4A

FundingDigital Science

A grant programme from research-technology company Digital Science backing early-stage agentic AI tools that support researchers, from rough prototypes to well-formed concepts. Open to founders, research teams and individual innovators anywhere in the world.

Open worldwideGeneralFor entrepreneursvia Opportunity Desk

EventAlfanar

A two-day regional convening in Amman bringing together social entrepreneurs, NGOs, investors, philanthropists, policymakers and ecosystem builders from across the Arab world. Registration of interest is open now.

MENA regionGeneralFor entrepreneurs and NGOsvia Alfanar

ProgrammeGlobal Entrepreneurship Festival (GEF) with Entrepreneurship Village (E-Village)

Training, a startup clinic and a live pitch to investors in Cairo for founders at any stage, from idea to revenue, with seed investment and incubation for the businesses selected. Free to apply from any country, but shortlisted founders must attend the Global Entrepreneurship Festival in Cairo in person, and the investment comes with equity and in-kind terms worth reading closely.

Egypt, Open worldwideGeneralFor entrepreneursvia Opportunity Desk

ProgrammeMiller Center for Global Impact, Santa Clara University

Six months of one to one executive mentoring and a curriculum built around your own business, for social enterprises ready to scale. Delivered entirely online and free to participants, with a focus on enterprises advancing women's economic power, climate resilience, or both.

Open worldwideGeneralFor entrepreneursvia Opportunity Desk

FundingD-Prize

D-Prize funds first-time founders to launch a new for-profit or non-profit organisation that distributes an existing, evidence-backed intervention in health, education, agriculture, water or governance. Open to applicants anywhere in the world who plan to live and work in a developing country, with three submission rounds across the autumn.

Open worldwideGeneralFor entrepreneursvia Opportunity Desk

ProgrammeRadical Ventures

A four week virtual masterclass for AI researchers and technical founders building AI first companies, with sessions from AI pioneers alongside practical company building workshops. Free to attend from anywhere in the world, with a competitive Compute Cohort track that adds Google Cloud credits, dedicated GPU and TPU access, mentoring and legal support.

Open worldwideGeneralFor entrepreneursRolling — no fixed datevia Opportunity Desk

OpportunityClimateLaunchpad

ClimateLaunchpad, a cleantech business ideas competition running in more than fifty countries, is looking for organisations to host its national programme where it has no lead yet. In this region only Egypt, Morocco and Turkiye are taken, which leaves most of the Arab world open. No money comes with the role, so read what it asks of you.

MENA regionGeneralFor entrepreneurs and NGOsRolling — no fixed datevia ClimateLaunchpad