Apply Now: SAIS 2027 Livestock Programme Offers €15,000 in Business Support
African agribusiness and agricultural technology startups can now apply for the 2027 SAIS Livestock Investment Readiness Programme.
This is an initiative offering up to €15,000 in technical assistance to businesses developing innovative solutions for livestock, dairy and aquaculture value chains.
The programme, organised under Scaling digital Agriculture Innovations through Start-ups (SAIS), is designed to help African startups strengthen their business operations, improve investment readiness, attract funding and expand their market reach.
Selected businesses will benefit from a one-year, tailored support programme running from 2027 to 2028. The initiative will provide access to technical experts, business advisers, investors and strategic partners to help participating companies overcome growth challenges.
The €15,000 support package will be provided as technical assistance rather than unrestricted cash. It can cover services such as business consultancy, legal advice, product optimisation, licensing, certifications, environmental and social governance, marketing, public relations, customer acquisition, sales campaigns and employee training.
Participating startups will also receive guidance from dedicated SAIS advisers, known as Navigators, who will work with their management teams to identify business challenges and develop strategies for sustainable growth.
Additional Benefits
Beyond the technical assistance, selected startups will have access to several business development and networking opportunities, including:
- Investor connections: Opportunities to participate in exclusive pitch sessions, receive introductions to investors and investment funds, and obtain guidance on fundraising strategies and due diligence.
- International networking: Fully sponsored participation in two in-person SAIS community events held alongside the Sankalp Africa Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.
- Industry exposure: Sponsorship to attend an additional sector-specific conference.
- Business community: Access to a network of more than 100 companies within the SAIS portfolio.
Eligible participants may also gain access to separate financing opportunities, including the SAIS Scale-up Grant of up to €40,000 and revolving working capital loans of up to €50,000, repayable over nine months at an interest rate of 1.5%. These additional opportunities are subject to separate eligibility and selection requirements.
Areas of Focus
The 2027 programme is particularly interested in technology-driven innovations that strengthen livestock value chains across Africa.
Priority areas include:
Dairy production: Innovations in animal health, genetics, feed and forage, particularly solutions that can improve dairy value chains in East African countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia.
Aquaculture: Technologies focused on fish genetics, feed innovations and improved aquaculture production, with particular interest in West African markets, including Nigeria and Senegal.
Startups from other African countries are also encouraged to apply, provided they can demonstrate how their innovations, solutions or business models can contribute to strengthening the targeted dairy and aquaculture value chains.
Who Can Apply?
The programme is open to African startups that meet the following eligibility requirements:
- The business must be a registered, for-profit company in an African country.
- The startup must have a management team comprising at least two people.
- Applicants must be at the pre-seed, seed or Series A fundraising stage.
- The business must have at least a functioning Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
- Startups with recurring revenue, paying customers and established business partnerships are particularly encouraged.
- The proposed solution must use technology to improve livestock, dairy or aquaculture value chains.
Businesses must also demonstrate the potential to scale their solutions and contribute to improved agricultural productivity, food security and sustainable livelihoods.
Programme Expectations
Selected startups will be required to actively participate throughout the programme.
Each company must appoint a management team member as its primary contact and commit an average of two hours weekly to programme activities.
Participating businesses will also be expected to attend two in-person SAIS community events, provide regular updates on business performance indicators and cooperate with impact assessments.
The programme will further require startups to work with assigned experts and service providers to implement agreed business development and technical support activities.
Programme Timeline
The organisers have announced the following schedule for the 2027 cohort:
- November 15, 2026: Application deadline.
- November 16–30, 2026: Screening and applicant interviews.
- December 2026: Announcement of selected startups.
- January 2027: Virtual programme kickoff and onboarding.
- February 22, 2027: SAIStival community event in Nairobi, Kenya.
- February 24–25, 2027: Sankalp Africa Summit in Nairobi.
- March 2027–February 2028: Delivery of investment readiness support, technical assistance and business advisory services.
- February 2028: Graduation at SAIStival 2028.
How to Apply
Interested African startups can apply online through the official SAIS application portal.
Applicants should visit the programme website, review the eligibility requirements and complete the online application form with relevant information about their businesses, management teams, products, market traction and growth objectives.
Application Deadline: November 15, 2026.
Programme Duration: One year.
Support Available: Up to €15,000 in technical assistance.
Cost: No equity is taken from participating startups.
Application Portal: https://sais-accelerator.com/livestock-apply-now-for-2027/
The SAIS programme is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), with co-funding from the Gates Foundation.
