Dunin-Deshpande Queen's Innovation Centre (DDQIC)
The Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship 2027 is inviting applications from African students and recent graduates who want to develop innovative business ideas and create solutions to important social and economic challenges. Delivered by the Dunin Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre at Queen’s University in Canada, the programme provides entrepreneurship education, practical business development training, mentorship, coaching and opportunities to access financial support.
The fellowship is designed for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to turn promising ideas into sustainable ventures. Applicants do not need to have an established business to participate. The programme welcomes people who are still exploring an idea, identifying a problem in their community or working towards developing a product or service that could create positive change.
The eight month programme runs from January to August 2027 and is delivered entirely online. This format allows eligible participants to take part from their home countries without relocating to Canada. Through a structured learning process, participants develop their entrepreneurial skills, test assumptions about their ideas, learn to understand potential customers and explore how their ventures can become financially sustainable.
The Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship supports young African innovators who want to use entrepreneurship to address pressing challenges. The programme is delivered by the Dunin Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre, which provides entrepreneurship training and support for the development of new ventures.
The fellowship follows the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework, a structured approach to developing businesses by identifying customer needs, validating problems, testing solutions and building a sustainable business model.
Rather than focusing exclusively on classroom learning, participants work through practical milestones related to their own ideas. They learn to identify their intended customers, assess whether a proposed solution meets a genuine need, develop prototypes and consider how their ventures can reach users and generate revenue or secure sustainable funding.
The programme is organised into three progressive phases called Explore, Ignite, and Launch. Participants advance by completing the required learning activities and demonstrating commitment to the development of their ideas.
• Free application and participation in the programme’s initial learning phase.
• Entrepreneurship training delivered through online courses and structured learning activities.
• Access to the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework.
• Business development guidance and practical venture development exercises.
• Pitch preparation and coaching.
• Workshops covering marketing, goal setting and recruitment.
• Individual coaching and mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs and industry professionals.
• Access to Queen’s University entrepreneurship micro credentials and digital certificates for eligible completed courses.
• Opportunities to connect with entrepreneurs, mentors, industry leaders and fellow innovators across Africa and internationally.
• Up to 60 fellows selected for the final phase may receive a stipend of US$350, according to the programme’s current description.
• Opportunities to compete for additional financial prizes of up to CAD $15,000 in the final pitch competition.
• Access to further support and entrepreneurship opportunities through the programme’s network after graduation.
The financial benefits are associated with progression to the final phase and should not be assumed to be available to every applicant or participant.
January to February 2027
The first phase introduces participants to the foundations of entrepreneurship. Candidates access curated online courses and begin applying the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework to their ideas.
Participants explore the problem they want to solve, identify potential customers, investigate whether the problem is genuine and consider possible solutions. They also examine assumptions about their ideas and begin gathering information from potential users.
This phase helps participants establish a clear direction before investing further effort in developing their ventures.
March to April 2027
Participants who demonstrate commitment and make strong progress during the Explore phase may be selected to advance to Ignite.
The second phase focuses on turning an initial idea into a more developed business concept. Participants work on business models, customer access, potential partnerships and plans for financial sustainability.
They also develop simple prototypes, test important assumptions and collect feedback from potential users. At the end of this stage, participants pitch their ideas, and the most promising ventures may be selected for the final fellowship phase.
May to August 2027
Up to 60 selected fellows may enter the final phase, which provides more intensive support for developing and advancing their ventures.
Participants receive dedicated coaching and mentorship, take part in regular pitch presentations and work towards testing their solutions in practical settings. They are encouraged to develop early customer interest, identify potential users and prepare plans for future growth.
Final phase fellows may receive a stipend and gain opportunities to compete for additional seed funding through the programme’s pitch competition.
Applicants should meet the following requirements:
• Be a citizen of an African country.
• Be currently enrolled at a post secondary institution or have graduated within the previous five years.
• Come from any academic discipline, provided they meet the programme requirements.
• Demonstrate a genuine interest in entrepreneurship and a commitment to solving important social or economic problems.
• Have an entrepreneurial idea, a problem they want to address or an interest in developing a new venture.
• Be willing to complete all three programme phases and meet the required learning milestones to progress.
• Be prepared to dedicate at least 10 hours per week to programme activities and venture development.
• Have reliable internet access and a suitable device for completing online courses, assignments and other programme activities.
• Be able to complete assignments and pitches in English.
The programme welcomes students and recent graduates from different academic backgrounds. Applicants do not need to have a registered company or a fully developed business plan before applying.
Applicants should be prepared to provide information about their education, entrepreneurial interests and proposed business idea through the official online application.
Relevant information may include:
• Personal and educational background.
• Current institution or recent graduation details.
• Entrepreneurial interests and motivation for joining the fellowship.
• The problem or challenge the applicant hopes to address.
• An explanation of the proposed idea or potential solution.
• The intended users or communities who could benefit from the idea.
• An indication of commitment to completing the programme.
Applicants should check the official application portal for the exact questions and any additional information required for the 2027 cohort.
The fellowship uses a staged selection process. Progression depends on participants completing the required learning activities and demonstrating commitment to developing their ventures.
Applicants can strengthen their applications by showing that they understand a meaningful problem and have a thoughtful approach to addressing it. A strong idea should identify the people who could benefit, explain how the proposed solution could help and demonstrate a willingness to test assumptions and learn from feedback.
Relevant academic, leadership, volunteer or entrepreneurial experience may help applicants explain their motivation and readiness to participate. However, applicants should focus on the quality and potential of their idea rather than assuming they must already operate a successful business.
Dunin-Deshpande Queen's Innovation Centre (DDQIC)
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