The Rockefeller Foundation has announced an open call for its highly prestigious Big Bets Fellowship: Africa Cohort 2026, offering a unique opportunity for emerging leaders to transform their bold ideas into large-scale, systemic solutions. This is more than just a fellowship; it is a strategic investment in the African leaders required to solve the continent’s toughest challenges in the coming decade.
The opportunity, which includes a stipend and a week-long in-person convening at the famous Bellagio Center in Italy, is directly aimed at leaders who are ready to make a “Big Bet”, a concerted effort to fundamentally solve a problem, not just improve it incrementally.
The Focus: Building Resilient Systems, Not Just Projects
The 2026 Africa cohort is strategically focused on empowering leaders to build entrepreneurial solutions, resilient systems, and policies that seize the opportunity for inclusive growth. The fellowship targets individuals with 5 to 15 years of impactful experience who have demonstrated a deep commitment to regional challenges.
The priority areas for solutions are directly aligned with Africa’s most urgent needs:
1. Energy and Climate Resilience
The Opportunity: Fellows are encouraged to accelerate the deployment of decentralized renewable energy (DRE) solutions across underserved communities, leveraging Africa's vast solar and wind resources to close the energy poverty gap. This aligns directly with the goal of powering green industrialization (a theme recently elevated by the G20 Summit).
For Innovators: If your venture focuses on solar mini-grids, rural electrification, or scaling clean energy for SMEs, this fellowship offers access to the global capital and networks needed to meet the Mission 300 goal of expanding electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030.
2. Public Health and Heat Adaptation
The Opportunity: Solutions must strengthen health systems to better prevent, predict, detect, and respond to disease outbreaks and the effects of extreme heat driven by climate change.
For Leaders: This provides a platform for health entrepreneurs and policy innovators to leverage data-driven strategies and AI to create climate-resilient health systems, ensuring vulnerable populations can lead healthier lives.
3. Food Systems and Economic Integration
The Opportunity: The foundation is looking for bold ideas to transform food systems to enhance food security, including models that support regenerative agriculture for smallholder farmers or large-scale, nutritious school meal programs.
For Entrepreneurs: Solutions that strengthen trade systems and enhance regional economic integration, making markets more inclusive for currently excluded participants—are a major priority, directly reinforcing the objectives of the AfCFTA.
The Bellagio Center Edge: Access to the Global Table
A centerpiece of the fellowship is the week-long, in-person convening at The Rockefeller Foundation’s historic Bellagio Center on Lake Como, Italy.
Strategic Network Access: The Bellagio Center is renowned as the place where global movements begin (initiatives like the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) were launched there). Fellows gain exclusive access to a global network of philanthropists, sector experts, policymakers, and potential partners.
Accelerated Impact: The program is designed to provide an integrative curriculum, focusing on theory of change, high-stakes partnerships, and compelling storytelling, equipping leaders with the mindset and skills to scale their solutions for system-level change.
How to Apply and Join the Movement
The Rockefeller Foundation emphasizes that lasting change relies on relationships, alignment, and shared ownership. By joining the Big Bets Community, applicants receive exclusive resources and information on the application process.
If you are an African leader with 5–15 years of experience who is collaborative, courageous, and ready to advance a systemic solution that will fundamentally reshape your sector, the 2026 Big Bets Fellowship offers a rare chance to accelerate your vision with global resources.
Deadline Note: Interested applicants must usually complete a pre-application form ahead of the final deadline. Check the official page for the current cycle's exact dates and requirements.
Ready to turn your "big bet" into a global breakthrough? Apply now here