Mastercard Foundation Fund for Alumni Start-ups in Transition (FAST) Program

The Mastercard Foundation FAST Program is an enterprise support and accelerator-style programme for early-stage entrepreneurs and alumni of select leadership and scholarship programmes. It provides business development training, mentorship, and connection to a network of entrepreneurs and partners. The programme can provide discretionary financial disbursements to entrepreneurs based on enterprise stage, needs and assessment.

Access to funding (case-by-case disbursements), business development training, mentorship, and a network of entrepreneurs and partner organisations.

Open to aspiring entrepreneurs or those in the early stages of their entrepreneurship journey who are alumni of Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), African Leadership Academy (ALA), Anzisha Prize, or the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. Applicants nearing graduation may receive provisional acceptance and join the next cohort upon completing their studies.

Applicants submit applications during the programme's application drive; the programme is offered in English, French, Portuguese and Arabic. Provisional acceptance is possible for applicants nearing graduation.