The second edition of the Orange Corners Innovation Fund (OCIF) GROW programme has opened applications for business funding of up to R1 million. The initiative, part of the wider Orange Corners programme supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, reflects a growing commitment to nurturing sustainable enterprise across the African continent through locally grounded and contextually relevant mechanisms of support.
Entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 35, leading businesses with demonstrable market traction and innovative business models, are encouraged to apply before the 31 December 2025 deadline. Administered in South Africa by CDI Capital, the programme supports enterprises that are already operating — from six months up to seven years — and that generate an annual turnover between R250,000 and R10 million.
The OCIF GROW programme offers a hybrid financing model consisting of 50% in the form of a non-repayable grant and the remaining 50% as an interest-free loan, repayable over 18 months. This dual-structured approach is designed to provide catalytic capital while encouraging financial accountability and growth readiness. Selected businesses will also gain access to mentorship, pitch coaching, and structured investment-readiness support facilitated by Viridian, an impact agency specialising in early-stage business development.
Successful applicants will participate in an intensive eight-week ‘Raise Ready’ process from April to June 2026, designed to refine their fundraising strategies and operational scalability. Following this phase, candidates will pitch their ventures to the OCIF Investment Committee, with up to seven ventures expected to be selected for final funding.
The first OCIF GROW cohort, currently concluding its Raise Ready process, represents a cross-section of sectors and regions across South Africa. Participating enterprises include ventures developing mobile solar-powered waste buy-back centres, precision farming systems, and a nutrient-dense, vegetable-derived coffee substitute. Others have focused on producing liquid fertilisers, African-inspired homeware, AI-driven micro-learning platforms, and modular software systems — reflecting both the diversity and ingenuity within South Africa’s innovation ecosystem.
While the programme is headquartered in South Africa, it forms part of a wider pan-African ambition. Orange Corners operates in over 20 countries across Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, offering a decentralised model of incubation and acceleration driven by local knowledge and transnational solidarity. Through such platforms, the role of African entrepreneurs is being repositioned not simply as recipients of development aid or participants in externally defined growth models, but as architects of community-grounded solutions that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.
This realignment is evident in the programme’s selection criteria, which underscore not only innovation and viability but also a demonstrable contribution to social or environmental impact. As such, OCIF GROW is not merely a funding mechanism but a broader platform for amplifying context-responsive business solutions that advance systemic transformation.
Applications must be submitted by 31 December 2025. Shortlisted candidates will be announced by 28 February 2026, followed by selection for the Raise Ready cohort by 31 March 2026. The final pitch event will take place in August 2026. Prospective applicants are invited to attend a virtual information session on 25 November 2025 at 15:00 SAST. Click here to register for the session.
In an environment where access to early-stage capital remains one of the principal barriers for African startups, OCIF GROW offers a credible and impactful alternative — one that centres African entrepreneurship not as a peripheral narrative but as a primary driver of inclusive economic renewal and future-forward development.
