Apply Now: Fully Funded Commonwealth Startup Fellowship

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission has unveiled the Commonwealth Startup Fellowship, a new, fully funded six-month initiative aimed at empowering early-stage entrepreneurs from across the Commonwealth. The program is designed to help participants scale their businesses while nurturing the next generation of business leaders and job creators.

Offered in collaboration with Imperial College London, the fellowship combines both in-person and online components, ensuring participants receive dynamic, real-time business support from world-class experts.

Applications opened on 2nd June at 10:00 AM (GMT+1) and will remain open until 30th June at 4:00 PM (GMT+1).

Eligibility Criteria:

To be considered for the Commonwealth Startup Fellowship, applicants must:

• Hold at least a graduate-level qualification
• Be a citizen of, or have refugee status in, an eligible low- or middle-income Commonwealth country
• Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country
• Be fluent in written and spoken English
• Not have undertaken a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship in the last five years
• Be available to start the fellowship on the specified date

This fellowship presents a unique opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs to gain international exposure, access expert mentorship, and drive impactful growth within their ventures.

For more information and application guidelines, please refer to the attached flyer or visit the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission’s official website

Overview
The Commonwealth Startup Fellowship (CSF) is a six-month programme designed to ignite and
elevate high potential startups from low and middle income Commonwealth countries. The
programme is made up of a combination of in-person and online learning, to provide participants
with essential skills, tailored support, and a global network.
Rationale
The World bank estimates that 600 million jobs will be needed by 2030 to absorb the growing
global workforce. (World Bank, 2019). The CSF aims to contribute to the solution of this problem
by supporting early-stage entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and become the next generation
of business leaders and job creators.
The Programme
The CSF is delivered in partnership with the Imperial College London Enterprise Lab, global
leaders in this field. 40 businesses will be supported in total, across two cohorts of 20 businesses.
• Cohort 1 began in March 2025
• Cohort 2 will start in November 2025
o Applications will be open from 10am 2nd June – 4pm 30th June 2025 (BST)
o Register for an information session here: bit.ly/3EYWDXC
Commonwealth Startup
Fellowship (CSF)
The Fellowship is made up of 3 stages
Stage 1: Fully funded in person ‘bootcamp’ in Accra Ghana
• Here, the programme will be launched with intensive, hands-on training. Participants will
refine their business plans, develop targeted growth strategies, and build a strong network
of fellow entrepreneurs and experts.
Stage 2: Five months of bespoke online learning and business coaching
• Learning modules will continue remotely for the next five months, giving fellows the
opportunity to apply what they are learning in real time. They will each be supported by a
personalised mentor and have monthly ‘venture review panels’ with industry and country
experts who will provide feedback and guidance on the progress and choices they are
making.
Stage 3: Fully funded Capstone Week in London
• At the end of the programme, businesses will have the opportunity to travel to London to
take part in an international investor event and other networking opportunities.
Links
imperialenterpriselab.com/programmes/commonwealth-startup-fellowship/
cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/entrepreneurship-innovation-and-job-creation/