Programmes
État & institutions camerounaises
Ministères, agences de promotion, incubateurs publics et grands dispositifs nationaux.
Adaptive Safety Nets - Economic Inclusion of Youth (EIY)
Government Program (with World Bank)
Targets 65,000 unemployed urban youth with bundled basic business training, coaching and a $500 grant to launch or grow micro-enterprises.
- Création :
- 2025 (current cycle)
- Siège :
- Cameroon (national)
- Direction :
- Government of Cameroon / World Bank
$500 micro-grants × 65,000 = $32.5M+
Adaptive Safety Nets and Economic Inclusion Project - Business Plan Competition (BPC)
Government Program (with World Bank)
Provides $10K-$20K grants plus coaching and formalization support to 2,000 emerging entrepreneurs in Cameroon; focus on high-growth sectors and women-led enterprises.
- Création :
- 2025 (current cycle)
- Siège :
- Cameroon (national)
- Direction :
- Government of Cameroon / World Bank
$20-40M total grant pool
Cameroon Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines & Crafts (CCIMA)
Public Body
Cameroon's Chamber of Commerce. Hosts the F2I (International Investors Forum) and other ecosystem events.
- Siège :
- Yaoundé, Cameroon
Networking; F2I Forum
Cameroon Private Sector Development Support Programme (PADSP-CAM)
Public Program
CFA 5.81bn budget program co-funded by Government of Cameroon, EU's Business Development Centre, and Development Partners to strengthen business competitiveness and create decent jobs.
- Création :
- 2012
- Siège :
- Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Direction :
- MINPMEESA & MINEPAT (co-chairs)
CFA 5.81bn
Cameroon Startup Act (in development)
Legislation
Highly anticipated Startup Act which would provide tax incentives, formal startup definition, and easing of regulation for Cameroonian innovators (status: under MINPOSTEL drafting per ecosystem reports).
- Création :
- In drafting (2024-2026)
- Siège :
- Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Direction :
- MINPOSTEL
TBD
FicheSource: Medium VC, Nkafu Policy Institute.Cameroon Subcontracting and Partnership Exchange
Public Program
Profiles SMEs and networks them with clients/foreign partners; signed 14 partnership contracts in 2020; 4 international partnerships.
- Création :
- Pre-2020
- Siège :
- Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Direction :
- Under MINPMEESA
Networking & partnership facilitation
Cameroon-Japan KAIZEN Cooperation
International Partnership
Bilateral program with JICA training 156 consultants and supporting 1,900 SMEs in quality and productivity. Cameroon has won 3 African KAIZEN awards.
- Création :
- 2018 (Phase 1) / 2019 (Phase 2)
- Siège :
- Cameroon
- Direction :
- MINPMEESA / JICA
Technical assistance
Investment Promotion Agency (IPA / API)
Government Agency
Provides administrative support, visa/accommodation help, industry-specific tax incentives, investment monitoring, and aid with repatriation of earnings to attract foreign investors to Cameroon.
- Siège :
- Yaoundé, Cameroon
Tax holidays; investment facilitation
Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications (MINPOSTEL)
Government Ministry
Cameroon's ICT ministry. Drives the Cameroon Digital Strategy and PATNUC (National Digital Transformation Plan); runs the Agritech Innovation Challenge (CFA 40M prizes) and supports Startup Act drafting.
- Siège :
- Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Direction :
- Minette Libom Li Likeng (Minister, until recent reshuffle)
Annual competitions; PATNUC; Goodwill Cybersecurity Ambassadors program
Ministry of Small & Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts (MINPMEESA)
Government Ministry
Cameroon's lead ministry for SME and entrepreneurship policy. Coordinates incubation, KAIZEN quality program, the National Development Strategy (NDS30) entrepreneurship pillar, and partnerships with Japan (JICA) and France (AFD).
- Création :
- 2004 (Decree 2004/320)
- Siège :
- Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Direction :
- Achille Bassilekin III (Minister)
CFA 420M allocated to 22 startups (July 2025); CFA 2bn+ in incubation infrastructure since 2018
FicheSite officielOversees a national network of 50+ accredited public and private incubators. Source: Business in Cameroon, MINPMEESA.National Pilot Enterprise Nursery (Edéa)
Public Incubator
Flagship public business incubator and accelerator. First batch of 18 entrepreneurs delivered in July 2020; ongoing acceleration calls (e.g. 40 entrepreneurs in 2025).
- Création :
- 2018
- Siège :
- Edéa, Cameroon
- Direction :
- Provisional Coordination Department (MINPMEESA)
Structured incubation; equipment grants
PATNUC - Agritech Innovation Challenge
Government Competition
PATNUC-organised challenge celebrating 10 top Cameroonian agritech startups annually with up to CFA 40M cash prizes plus technical support.
- Création :
- 2024 (current cycle)
- Siège :
- Cameroon
- Direction :
- Under MINPOSTEL
Up to CFA 40M / $66K per winner
Programme to Support Agriculture & Agri-Food SMEs (PMEAA)
Public Program
CFA 3.28bn (€5M) AFD-funded program to support agri-food SMEs in line with Cameroon Vision 2035.
- Création :
- 2015 (Convention CCM126601)
- Siège :
- Cameroon
- Direction :
- MINPMEESA
€5M / CFA 3.28bn
SME Bank of Cameroon
Public Bank
State-owned bank dedicated to financing SMEs - financed CFA-billions of SME loans in 2023.
- Siège :
- Yaoundé, Cameroon
SME lending; Société de Garantie des Financements (SGF)
SME Promotion Agency (APME)
Government Agency
Public administrative body under MINPMEESA providing technical assistance, funding access, and partnership facilitation for SMEs and startups. Holds annual competitions awarding grants up to CFA 10M.
- Création :
- 2013 (Decree 2013/092)
- Siège :
- Yaoundé (Tsinga), Cameroon
- Direction :
- Jean Marie Louis Badga (General Manager); Prof. Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa (Board Chairperson)
Annual grant competitions; capacity-building; bank partnerships
Tax exemption for tech startups (5 years)
Tax Incentive
First-five-years tax exemption for startups in agritech, cleantech, fintech, and edtech sectors.
- Siège :
- Cameroon
- Direction :
- Government of Cameroon
5-year tax exemption
FicheSource: Medium VC.Éveil Entrepreneurial et Leadership (AEC)
Public-Private Initiative
Cameroon Entrepreneurs Association initiative to stimulate entrepreneurial spirit among youth and empower them through business creation.
- Création :
- 2015 (AEC founding)
- Siège :
- Cameroon
- Direction :
- AEC Leadership
Training & networking
Coopération internationale & fonds
PNUD, Banque mondiale, IFC, Digital Africa, AfriLabs, programmes régionaux, etc.
AfriLabs Capacity Building Programme
Pan-African Programme
AfriLabs network capacity-building program with hubs across Africa, including ActivSpaces, Mountain Hub, Beehive, Le Boukarou, Brite Academy, etc. in Cameroon.
- Période :
- Ongoing
- Siège :
- Abuja, Nigeria
- Cameroun :
- Yes - via Cameroonian member hubs
Various grants and training
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - i3 Initiative
International Health Fund
$7M fund supporting 30 African healthtech startups; Cameroon's Infiuss Health was a 2022 beneficiary.
- Période :
- 2022-present
- Siège :
- Seattle, USA
- Cameroun :
- Yes
Grants up to several hundred K USD
Cartier Women's Initiative
International Award
Global entrepreneurship award for women. Awarded $100K to Melissa Bime (Infiuss Health) in 2018.
- Période :
- 2006-present
- Siège :
- Paris, France
- Cameroun :
- Yes - selected Cameroonian winners
$100K + mentorship
Catalytic Africa Matching Fund
Pan-African Co-investment
Joint initiative of ABAN and AfriLabs that matches angel investments. Backed by AFD and Digital Africa Fund. Has invested $3.1M+ across 21 startups (incl. Cameroonian Bee Sarl).
- Période :
- 2021-present
- Siège :
- Pan-African
- Cameroun :
- Yes
Matching grants up to €60K per deal
Cellulant
Pan-African Payments Player
Cellulant's Cameroon presence is led by Landry Wanmeni who is also a key Cameroon ecosystem mentor (FI Cameroon).
- Période :
- Ongoing
- Siège :
- Pan-African
- Cameroun :
- Yes
Strategic partnerships
Coinshares Ventures
Crypto VC
Investment arm of Coinshares; invested in Ejara.
- Siège :
- London, UK
- Cameroun :
- Yes
Series A participation
Digital Africa Bridge Fund
Pan-African Fund (Proparco-backed)
Bridge financing instrument launched with Proparco. Tickets €175K-€600K to seed-stage African startups. Cameroonian beneficiaries include Ejara (€150K).
- Période :
- 2020-present
- Siège :
- Paris, France
- Cameroun :
- Yes - via Bridge Fund
€5M+ pool
Digital Africa Fuze
Pre-seed Fund
Fuze pre-seed fund providing up to €100K (in tranches) to ~30 African startups/year. Cameroonian beneficiaries (2024): Clinihome, Koree, Colorfol via Orange Digital Center network.
- Période :
- 2022-present
- Siège :
- Paris, France
- Cameroun :
- Yes
Up to €100K per startup
Ecobank Fintech Challenge
Pan-African Competition
Annual fintech challenge in 35+ African countries; Cameroon's Koree won the 2023 grand prize ($50K). PaySika selected as 2024 finalist.
- Période :
- 2017-present
- Siège :
- Lomé, Togo
- Cameroun :
- Yes - Cameroonian finalists
$50K + Fintech Fellowship
Energise Africa (Lendahand & Ethex)
Crowdfunding / Impact Bonds
UK aid match-funded crowdfunding platform. Has raised multiple rounds for upOwa to install thousands of solar home systems.
- Période :
- Ongoing
- Siège :
- UK / Netherlands
- Cameroun :
- Yes
Crowd-funded bonds (£18-100K rounds)
Future Africa Leaders Foundation (FALF)
Award / Foundation
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome's foundation. Awarded Star Prize $25K to Cameroon's Nzometiah Nervis (Nervtek) in 2021.
- Période :
- 2013-present
- Siège :
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Cameroun :
- Yes
$10K-$25K prizes
GIZ Cameroon
German Development Agency
German government development agency operating in Cameroon. Partners with Nervtek and other youth/tech initiatives.
- Période :
- Ongoing
- Siège :
- Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Cameroun :
- Yes
Programme funding & technical assistance
Genius Challenge Hackathon
Hackathon
Cameroon hackathon promoting product-stage development for new founders.
- Période :
- Ongoing
- Siège :
- Cameroon
- Cameroun :
- Yes
Hackathon prizes + mentorship
IFC (International Finance Corporation)
DFI (World Bank Group)
World Bank Group's private-sector arm. Co-runs Africa Tech Awards with VivaTech (Waspito won Health Tech 2023); partner of GE Healthcare and NSIA on medical equipment financing.
- Période :
- Ongoing
- Siège :
- Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Cameroun :
- Yes - regional ops
Various - debt, equity, advisory
Inspire Week / P2A
Local Event Series
Inspire Week and P2A Entrepreneurship Challenge in Cameroon promoting ideation among youth.
- Période :
- Ongoing
- Siège :
- Cameroon
- Cameroun :
- Yes
Idea-stage support and prizes
Lateral Capital
Africa-Focused VC
Pan-African VC; invested in Ejara.
- Siège :
- London / pan-African
- Cameroun :
- Yes
Equity investment
MTN Innovation Challenge Cameroon
Corporate Innovation
MTN Cameroon-organised innovation challenge supporting local digital projects.
- Période :
- Ongoing
- Siège :
- Douala, Cameroon
- Cameroun :
- Yes
Cash and partnership prizes
Mercy Corps Ventures
Impact VC
Impact-focused investor; participant in Ejara Series A (2022).
- Période :
- 2015-present
- Siège :
- Portland, USA
- Cameroun :
- Yes
Series A participation
Nkafu Policy Institute (Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation)
Think Tank / Policy
Cameroon-based think tank publishing research on entrepreneurship, SME finance, and the startup ecosystem; advocates for a Startup Act.
- Période :
- Ongoing
- Siège :
- Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Cameroun :
- Yes - dedicated focus
Research & policy advocacy
Pierre Castel Prize
Corporate Award
Castel Group's annual prize for African agro-food entrepreneurs. Cameroon winner 2018: Save Our Agriculture.
- Période :
- 2018-present
- Siège :
- France / pan-African
- Cameroun :
- Yes
€25K-€100K prizes
Seedstars Cameroon
Pan-African Pitch Competition
Local edition of Seedstars World; held in Douala. Diool was 2018 winner.
- Période :
- 2018-2019
- Siège :
- Geneva, Switzerland
- Cameroun :
- Yes
Equity-free prizes + global exposure
Sequoia Capital (Scout Fund)
Global VC (Scout)
Backed Healthlane (2020) via scout investment vehicle.
- Siège :
- Menlo Park, USA
- Cameroun :
- Yes (single deal)
$2.4M Healthlane round participation
Talent4Startups Programme (AfriLabs / Digital Africa)
Talent Programme
10-week training program (technical + soft skills) targeting 200 youth (40% women) across 5 African countries to feed early-stage startups - implemented by ActivSpaces in Cameroon.
- Période :
- 2024
- Siège :
- Pan-African
- Cameroun :
- Yes - via ActivSpaces
Scholarships + job placement
UM6P Ventures
Moroccan University VC
VC arm of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University; invested in Infiuss Health (2022) to improve clinical-trial participation in Africa.
- Période :
- Ongoing
- Siège :
- Ben Guerir, Morocco
- Cameroun :
- Yes (via Infiuss)
Seed investments
UNDP Cameroon Accelerator Lab
UN Programme
UNDP's innovation lab for Cameroon. Funds and supports youth tech initiatives such as Nervtek's Holiday Tech Camp; deploys field missions for cocoa farmers; replicates models in UNDP Liberia.
- Période :
- 2019-present
- Siège :
- Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Cameroun :
- Yes - direct implementation
Recovery Programme (NW/SW); Accelerator Lab grants
World Bank Cameroon - Adaptive Safety Nets and Economic Inclusion Project
Multilateral Programme
Co-funded with Government of Cameroon. Contains BPC ($10-20K grants for 2,000 entrepreneurs) and EIY ($500 grants for 65,000 youth) tracks.
- Période :
- 2025-2027 (current implementation)
- Siège :
- Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Cameroun :
- Yes - lead funder
$32.5M+ EIY + BPC grant pools
Yale Africa Startup Review (YASR)
Pan-African Recognition Program
Annual Yale-led student initiative featuring top 30 African startups (#YASR30). 2026 conference theme: "Building from Within: Redefining Africa's Growth through Homegrown Innovation".
- Période :
- 2021-present
- Siège :
- New Haven, CT, USA
- Cameroun :
- Yes - sources Cameroon nominees
Recognition + connections + cash awards
