Green Tech for Africa Startup and Scaleup Accelerator

Extended closing date for applications: 23 February, 9am

A coaching and business networking opportunity for green environmental tech companies to scale and develop fundable solutions for Sub-Saharan Africa. CUSP researchers and colleagues at Middlesex University Business School are now recruiting for a third annual cohort of SME startups and scale-ups.

12-week Coaching Programme

The Middlesex team is offering a FREE 12-week programme of professional coaching, helping green environmental tech companies that are close to, or in early commercialisation to build new markets in the massive and exciting Sub-Saharan Africa emerging markets.

The programme will support a 2026 international cohort to support nature-positive enterprise in Africa. This will help to support trade with Africa and incubate environmental business horizons and responding to the growing demand for climate—and nature-positive business models with genuine green or ecological credentials.

We will offer introductions to market networking opportunities through our African partners, with a key focus on the Niger Delta world ecological site’s restoration requirements and Sub-Saharan Africa’s developing agrifood market opportunity. We offer an opportunity to pitch to our UK, African and global impact investment network.

This is timely since investors are themselves facing increased regulatory demands to demonstrate their nature interdependencies and environmental impacts through their investments, such as through the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and the UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS).

The 12-week coaching programme offers a tailored introduction to the multi-trillion dollar Sub-Saharan Africa green tech market opportunities in agrifood tech sectors, climate, nature positive and circular economy ecosystem services.

Progressive Structure: The programme builds from foundational business planning through to investor-ready pitch delivery, with dedicated nature-positive measurement sessions integrated throughout to address the specific environmental impact focus of participating ventures.
Training Programme Opportunities: Accessing Sub-Saharan green tech market opportunities; Innovation and nature-positivity; What investors want to see; Financials and business planning; Tax breaks for investors; Pitch deck structure; Deal Legals; Innovation and IP basics and deep dive; Finding investors; Nature positive mapper/calculator—be the first to test this exciting green assessment tool.
Digital Technologies pathway: The programme offers to those participants with case studies related to the use of digital technologies, a series of parallel sessions focusing on (i) applications of digital technologies on business, (ii) technological entrepreneurship case studies, (iii) the role of AI and BI in environmental projects, (iv) managing IT projects for green agenda, and (v) readiness and maturity assessment for businesses with regards to decarbonisation. These themes are further supported by Project arc resources (https://arcc.mdx.ac.uk) and delivered by the TIME CUBE team, a service offered from the MDX technology innovation management and entrepreneurship incubator.

Eligibility

Eligible for participation are nature-positive and environmental start-ups that show potential for investment readiness and scalability and can support links to UK business and trade. For future information, see the eligibility criteria

Timeline

Online application deadline: 13 February 2026 (extended to 9am on 23 February)
Accelerator start date: 3 March 2026
Final Pitching Event: 23 June 2026 (with the selected businesses)

Registration

Contact details: Programme leader, Professor Robyn Owen: r.owen@mdx.ac.uk and Dougal Fleming: d.fleming@mdx.ac.uk

Business Coach: Finlay Kerr (Raising Expert), supported by several leading SME business advisory experts

Registration: Please apply using the Registration form here. When you register, you will be asked a few questions to help us better understand your current investor readiness and potential impact on nature and the environment.

Funding: We are grateful to the Innovate UK’s Higher Education Investment Fund (HEIF) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) for supporting this work through the SME Nature Positive Finance project.

Testimonial from the 2025 Nature-Positive SME Accelerator Cohort

The nature-positive accelerator always provided valuable input and high-quality expert speakers, some of them with whom I continue to work to date. Thank you for organising it, I got a lot from it!”

Useful Links

CONTACT

Please note this is a selective process. Companies must meet certain criteria to apply. Readiness coaching will be provided to a selected cohort of companies; these will be further screened to participate in the event on 23 June. For inquiries, please email d.fleming@mdx.ac.uk.