Applications open for the AfDB sponsored Fashionomics Africa Online Accelerator Program

The African Development Bank (AfDB) is working with Co-Creation Hub, The Creative Economy Practice at CcHUB, and Syndicate by CcHUB to execute the Fashionomics Africa Online Accelerator Program that will enable African entrepreneurs operating in the textile, apparel, and accessories (TA&A) industry to scale and expand their businesses. Applications to this program open today, the 14th of October 2022.

The Fashionomics Africa Online Accelerator Program is an initiative of the African Development Bank that aims to increase Africa’s participation in the global textile and fashion industry value chain. The acceleration program will be focused on growth-stage start-ups in the fashion industry that have launched a business and are focused on building a customer base, maintaining cash flow, and potentially expanding their product lines or markets. 

The following are the selection criteria for the accelerator program:  

• Applicants must be African nationals above 18 years of age.
• The start-up must have a legal presence and should be registered as a corporate entity in the African country of operation.
• Fashion start-ups must be at the growth stage (must have existed for at least three years and have solid traction with clear products, sales channels and customer base). 
• Fashion start-ups must operate in the textile, apparel and accessories ecosystem, including but not limited to fashion designing and dressmaking, accessories design and making, textile design, fashion illustration, and fashion photography.
• Technology-enabled fashion businesses and service providers are encouraged to apply.

Top applicants will be onboarded into an accelerator program where they will be granted:

• Access to curated resources to help them scale and expand their business.
• Access to a strong community and network of fashion creatives across Africa.
• Opportunity to pitch for funding, up to $20,000.  
• Access to specialized fashion business training, mentorship and community-led events.
• Access to industry-relevant data insights about the African fashion ecosystem.
• Opportunities to pitch their fashion solutions and receive critical feedback and suggestions from industry experts.

The application form will require participants to answer a quiz-based questionnaire and will take no more than three (3) minutes to complete. 
Application deadline: October 23rd, 2022. Apply here.