The 2026 UNDP Timbuktoo Pan-African MineTech Startup Incubation Programme offers an incredible launchpad for young innovators ready to reshape mineral exploration across the continent. Brought to you by the timbuktoo MineTech Hub alongside the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and regional ecosystem partners, this pre-incubation initiative invites you to turn real-world mining and mineral exploration challenges into practical technology solutions. Whether you are building hardware, software, or a hybrid system, you do not need a finished product or an established company to get started. If your team has a clearly defined idea or solution targeting exploration data, remote sensing, geophysical technologies, or artificial intelligence in mining, you are ready to take part in the UNDP Timbuktoo MineTech Programme and tap into premier Pan-African Startup Incubation and MineTech Exploration Technology resources.
Name of Host Institution
The timbuktoo MineTech Hub and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with ecosystem partners across Botswana, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Multidisciplinary teams of 2 to 5 members, all aged 18 to 35.
All members must be based in the same eligible country: Botswana, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia, or Zimbabwe.
Open to students, recent graduates, researchers, engineers, technical professionals, innovators, and early-stage entrepreneurs.
Team skills must span at least two relevant disciplines, such as Computer Science, Data Science, Mining Engineering, Geomatics, or Software Engineering.
Must possess a clearly identified problem in mineral exploration, mining, or related environmental activities, paired with an initial technology-based solution idea.
Each team member must provide a valid national ID and commit to the programme throughout its duration.
Selection Procedure and Program Structure
Your journey through the programme unfolds across structured phases designed to take you from concept to prototype. It begins with a 10-week validation and pre-incubation phase where your team tests the problem, users, and business case. Following a pitch and selection stage based on problem relevance and technology potential, selected teams move into concept development and prototyping. The programme is delivered in a hybrid format featuring online technical and business workshops, paired with hands-on prototyping sessions at dedicated UniPods and MineTech Hub facilities. High-potential teams may also progress to full MineTech Hub incubation and compete for seed funding.
No, you do not need a finished product or an established company. A clearly defined idea or solution addressing the challenge briefs is enough to apply.
Q: What countries are eligible to participate in the 2026 programme?
Teams must be based in Botswana, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia, or Zimbabwe.
Q: What kind of support do selected participants receive?
Selected teams receive technical mentorship from industry experts, access to UniPods prototyping facilities, venture readiness support, and opportunities to compete for seed funding.
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