The Developer Foundry One-Year Immersive Fellowship 2025—also referred to as the MIT Foundry Fellowship—is a prestigious, fully funded leadership program hosted by the MIT Legatum Center for Development & Entrepreneurship. Tailored for established Africa-based, innovation-driven entrepreneurs, this one-year, cohort-based fellowship empowers founders who have already demonstrated traction in scaling their ventures and are now poised to become ecosystem leaders, not just enterprise builders.

The program brings together 10–15 entrepreneurs who meet a critical inflection point: they are driving venture growth and are ready to shift toward catalyzing broader system-level change—whether through launching accelerators, investment vehicles, policymaking platforms, or new market-enabling solutions.

Key elements of the fellowship include:

1. Virtual Onboarding & Learning Modules
Fellows begin with online learning sessions covering systems leadership, inclusive innovation, ecosystem dynamics, and personal leadership frameworks. These virtual modules set the stage for deeper engagement during immersive experiences.

2. Africa Immersion Tours
Fellows embark on two separate one-week immersive visits to high-growth innovation hubs in Africa—such as Nairobi, Lagos, Cairo, or Johannesburg—where they engage with accelerators, funders, government actors, and fellow entrepreneurs, refining their vision for ecosystem leadership .

3. U.S. Ecosystem Visits
Two additional one-week tours take the cohort to leading innovation ecosystems in North America—typically including Boston/Cambridge and another tech-focused region—to explore global best practices and network with key players.

4. Leadership Reflection Retreats
Each tour is punctuated by a leadership retreat that incorporates coaching, peer reflection, and strategic planning—helping fellows translate their field learnings into distinct, actionable ecosystem impact plans.

5. Cohort-Based Peer Learning
The fellowship is intentionally intimate, reinforcing a peer learning environment where founders share insights, challenges, and feedback in a trusted and collaborative setting.

6. Ongoing Mentorship & Alumni Support
Fellows receive continuous mentorship from MIT faculty and alumni, along with long-term access to a global network of changemakers in innovation, investment, policy, and enterprise. Alumni frequently engage in follow-on programming and peer support.

By the end of the program, fellows develop clear strategies to deepen their impact—e.g., launching ecosystem support platforms, scaling policy initiatives, or driving cross-sector collaboration. Alumni often serve as regional leaders, raising the bar for entrepreneurial ecosystems across the continent.

Name of organizer

The Legatum Center for Development fellowship for African entrepreneurs - Sponsor of the fellowship

Requirement/Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Based in Africa
Reside in an African country and lead a for-profit, innovation-driven company.

2. Demonstrated Traction
The venture should have reached meaningful scale—exhibited through revenue, user base growth, investment, or market expansion.

3. Leadership Inflection
Entering a stage where they intend to evolve from venture leadership into broader ecosystem-building roles.

4. English Proficiency
Fluent in written and spoken English (the program’s official language is English) [2] .

5. One-Year Commitment
Available to participate fully in virtual modules, four one-week immersive tours, and leadership retreats throughout the year.

6. Systems Leadership Mindset
Ready to apply ecosystem thinking and collaborative leadership to transform regional innovation landscapes.

7. Peer Collaboration Oriented
Open to giving and receiving peer feedback, group workshops, and public-facing strategy work.

8. Logistical Readiness
Fellows must arrange their own international air travel to tour locations (MIT covers accommodations, meals, and local transport).

9. Application Materials
Complete the MIT Foundry online application—typically including essays, optional nomination, video submission, and two letters of recommendation—as per the June 30 deadline.

10. Open to All Founders
The fellowship is open to any qualifying founder from Africa, regardless of previous MIT affiliation.

Duration/Stipend

Duration: One year (approximately eight active months broken into four immersive weeks and ongoing virtual engagement).
Immersive Tours:
Two one-week visits across African ecosystems.
Two one-week visits in North American ecosystems.
Virtual Learning: Monthly online sessions, leadership coaching, and peer-learning cohorts.
Retreats & Events: Leadership-focused off-site workshops aligned with each tour.
Financial Support:
MIT covers accommodations, in-country transport, meals, and program materials during tours and retreats.
Fellows are responsible for round-trip travel to and from each location.
There is no personal stipend, but all program costs are fully funded.