About the opportunity
The timbuktoo MineTech Hub, together with the United Nations Development Programme and ecosystem partners across Botswana, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, invites multidisciplinary teams to participate in the Pan-African MineTech Exploration Technology Pre-Incubation Programme. The programme supports innovators in moving from an early idea to a validated solution and prototype. It addresses the common challenge of developing accessible, cost-effective, and locally relevant technologies to improve mineral resource identification, characterization, and targeting. Solutions can be hardware, software, or a combination addressing geological data, remote sensing, geophysical technologies, mineral identification, and AI analytics.
Funding and benefits
- Technical mentorship from experts, universities, geological institutions, and mining sector practitioners.
- Industry engagement and validation to test solution fit against genuine user needs.
- Prototype development support through UniPods, MineTech Hub facilities, and relevant innovation infrastructure.
- Entrepreneurship and venture readiness support, including business models, market validation, and routes to commercialisation.
- Networking opportunities with mining stakeholders, researchers, technology experts, investors, and innovation organisations.
- Potential seed funding to build low fidelity prototypes and proof of concept solutions for selected teams.
- Progression to MineTech Hub incubation for high potential teams.
Who can apply?
- Multidisciplinary teams of 2 to 5 members.
- All team members must be aged 18 to 35.
- All team members must be based in Botswana, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia, or Zimbabwe.
- Made up of students, recent graduates, researchers, engineers, technical professionals, innovators, or early-stage entrepreneurs.
- Bring complementary skills across at least two relevant disciplines, such as Computer Science, Data Science, Mining Engineering, Geomatics, or Software Engineering.
- Have a clearly identified problem in mineral exploration, mining, or related environmental or operational activities, and an initial technology-based idea.
- Commit to the programme throughout and define the role of each team member.
- Provide a valid national ID for each team member.
Required documents
- Valid national ID for each team member
When to apply
- Applications close on 16 October 2026.
How to apply
- Prepare a clearly defined idea or solution addressing the challenge briefs.
- Form a multidisciplinary team meeting the geographic and age requirements.
- Submit your application through the official online application form before the deadline.
Additional information
- The programme is delivered in a hybrid format with online workshop sessions and mandatory use of UniPods for hands-on prototyping.
- The pre-incubation phase runs for 10 weeks, focusing on problem validation, users, and business cases.
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- Early-stage innovators and student teams in Southern and West Africa with a technology concept for the mining sector.
- Multidisciplinary groups wanting hands-on prototyping support and mentorship from mining and tech experts.
- Teams looking for structured seed funding opportunities and pathways to incubator scaling.
What should you think carefully about?
- All team members must be physically based in one of the six eligible countries to access local UniPods.
- The programme requires a strong time commitment for the 10-week pre-incubation and hybrid sessions.
- Teams must already possess a clearly defined problem and initial idea rather than just an interest in the topic.
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This programme provides an ideal springboard for young innovators and early-stage entrepreneurs aiming to validate a technology concept, secure initial prototype funding, and gain visibility among industry stakeholders without needing a fully formed company at the outset.
Our take
Eligible young innovators and technical professionals with a solid concept in mineral exploration technologies should apply before the deadline, provided they can commit to local UniPod participation.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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