Got an idea for one of Zimbabwe’s big problems? There’s $5,000 on the table

If you’re between 18 and 35 and you’ve been sitting on an idea that could fix something real in this country, this one is for you.

The Ministry of Youth, working with the UN Youth Group (chaired by UNFPA), has opened applications for the Zimbabwe Youth Innovation HackLab 2026. It’s tied to the National Youth Empowerment Strategy 2026 to 2030. The problem areas to be worked on were agreed on at a workshop back in July by government, UN agencies and civil society.

There are three categories. The first is youth health and well-being, covering things like health financing, service delivery gaps and digital access to health information. The second is economic empowerment, which is about skills mismatches, getting into formal employment and support for entrepreneurs. The third is green jobs and climate resilience, including access to green opportunities, finance and technology.

The winner in each category gets a USD 5,000 seed grant. They also get business development support, pitch coaching and some national and regional visibility.

You don’t need a finished product. A concept, an early prototype or an early pilot all qualify. What the judges want is an idea that responds to a real problem and goes after its root cause. Fully operational businesses aren’t eligible unless they’re pivoting to tackle a root cause in a materially different way.

You can apply alone, but teams of 2 to 5 are strongly encouraged. Every member has to be 18 to 35 and ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe. Teams that are at least 40% female get priority. You can only enter one category, so choose carefully. Being a student, an employee or tied to an NGO or company is fine, as long as your institution doesn’t own the idea.

The application form asks for a problem and solution summary of up to 500 words and an innovation description of up to 800 words. You’ll also need to explain the root cause you’re targeting, give a 12-month implementation plan and a budget estimate, and write a short note on how the idea touches SRHR, gender equity or disability inclusion. It’s worth drafting all of that before you open the form.

Here’s the timeline. Applications close on 20 October at 23:59 CAT. Finalists will be notified and briefed on 23 and 24 October. Pitching happens on 4 and 5 November in Harare at the National Youth Symposium, and the winners are announced there too.

Apply here: https://forms.gle/qXG6oVCC87Dq82TR9

If you know someone with an idea like this, send it to them.

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