Innovation Seed Fund
This year, the Oxford Africa Conference Innovation Seed Fund (ISF) has secured £20,000 in non-dilutive funding to support bold, high-impact ventures across the African continent — delivered in partnership with leading institutions across technology, finance, and innovation. For the 2026 edition, we have had over 300 applications to the Innovation Seed Fund, which brings together four flagship prizes:
In collaboration with OpenAI, this prize supports ventures leveraging artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to solve real-world challenges across Africa. Emmanuel Lubanzadio will join us at the Conference as a speaker and judge, helping identify the most promising tech-driven solutions with the potential to scale.
OpenAI
Tech for Tomorrow Prize (£5,000)
Nsiona Impact –
Social Innovation Award (£5,000)
Delivered with Nsiona Impact, this award backs student-led initiatives driving measurable, systems-level social impact. The focus is on ventures that combine strong execution with a deep understanding of local context and development challenges
Oxford University Innovation – Entrepreneurial Prize (£5,000)
Supported by Oxford University Innovation, this prize recognises one outstanding founder building a scalable, Africa-focused venture. It is designed to back ideas with clear pathways to implementation, growth, and long-term value creation.
Africell Impact Foundation –
Tech for Good Award (£5,000)
In partnership with Africell Impact Foundation and Fourah Bay College, this category is exclusively open to students and recent graduates from Fourah Bay College. It creates a direct pipeline between Sierra Leone’s emerging innovators and Oxford’s global platform, supporting technology-enabled solutions with strong social impact potential.
The 2026 Innovation
Seed Fund Judges
The Innovation Seed Fund (ISF) is guided by a panel of distinguished judges who bring expertise across sectors such as academia, entrepreneurship, development, and innovation. Their insights and experience are key to selecting high-impact student projects shaping Africa’s future.
Our Partners
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