Apply Now: EWA Launches Grant Pool to Support African Creative Businesses
Entertainment Week Africa (EWA) has launched a new grant pool to provide financial support to promising African creative businesses, strengthening efforts to improve access to capital, mentorship and investment opportunities across the continent’s creative economy.
The initiative will support outstanding businesses participating in the 2026 EWA Deal Room programme, as well as selected alumni whose ventures demonstrate strong growth potential.
The grant pool was announced at the first EWA Deal Room Alumni Meetup, held at EbonyLife Place in Lagos on October 7, 2026. Successful businesses are expected to receive their awards during Entertainment Week Africa, scheduled to take place in Lagos from November 17 to 22, 2026.
EWA Introduces Funding for High-Potential Creative Ventures
The new grant initiative seeks to address a persistent challenge confronting creative entrepreneurs across Africa: securing the funding, business support and commercial connections required to scale their ventures.
Although the continent has a growing pool of creative talent across music, film, fashion, technology, art and entertainment, many businesses struggle to translate promising ideas into sustainable and commercially viable enterprises.
Through the grant pool, EWA aims to complement its existing mentorship and investor engagement activities by providing direct financial support to selected businesses capable of using the funding to advance their operations.
Deola Art Alade, founder of Entertainment Week Africa, said the initiative was designed to help promising businesses move beyond advice, mentorship and networking towards securing the capital needed for their next stage of growth.
How the EWA Deal Room Works
The EWA Deal Room is a mentorship and investment programme that connects creative entrepreneurs with experienced business leaders, industry experts and potential investors.
Participating founders receive guidance to strengthen their business models, improve commercial readiness and refine their investment pitches before presenting their ventures to prospective investors.
For the 2026 edition, participating businesses will undergo assessment by a jury that includes their respective lead mentors. Companies demonstrating strong growth potential will be considered for grants from the new funding pool.
However, EWA has not publicly disclosed the total amount available in the grant pool or the individual amounts businesses may receive.
The initiative is therefore targeted at businesses participating in the Deal Room and eligible alumni rather than being a general grant programme open to every African creative entrepreneur.
Previous Participants Record Business Growth
The grant pool builds on the Deal Room’s previous work connecting creative businesses with investors and industry partners.
The programme’s 2025 edition received more than 178 company applications, with nine businesses advancing to the accelerator stage and four attracting live investor interest. The inaugural cycle also generated ₦25 million in funding.
Participating ventures included Aktivate, Atsur, FriendnPal, Growwr, Prop’ly and Sports Reels, with mentorship and investment support involving organisations such as Future Africa, Catalyst Fund and Consonance Invest.
Some alumni have reported progress following their participation. Atsur, a platform focused on tracking fine art ownership, went on to place among the top five winners at the NBA Africa Triple Double Accelerator in Rwanda.
Prop’ly, a production prop rental platform, supported more than 450 productions in 2024, while FriendnPal, a mental health service, reported delivering more than 10,000 therapy sessions.
These examples illustrate the potential of combining business mentorship, investor access and commercial networks to help creative enterprises expand.
Creative Businesses Eligible to Participate
The EWA Deal Room serves businesses operating across different segments of Africa’s creative economy, including music, film and television, fashion and beauty, art and animation, sports, creator tools, technology and entertainment.
For its 2026 edition, the programme is placing greater emphasis on established, self-managed businesses with demonstrable traction and a clear capacity for growth.
Founders interested in participating should be prepared to demonstrate their business models, market opportunities, operational progress and plans for expansion.
How to Apply
African creative entrepreneurs interested in accessing the Deal Room’s mentorship, investor connections and potential grant opportunities can submit applications through the official EWA website.
Apply here: https://ewafrica.com/apply/?role=deal
Applicants should note that applying to the Deal Room does not guarantee a grant. Funding consideration is linked to participation in the programme, the selection process and the assessment of each business’s growth potential.
Entertainment Week Africa 2026 will run from November 17 to 22 in Lagos under the theme “Closing the Gap,” bringing together creative professionals, founders, investors and industry stakeholders to strengthen commercial opportunities across Africa’s creative industries.
