Prix Pierre Castel, POESAM 2026: Huge prizes up for grabs as applications open.

Both competitions launched their 2026 application windows on April 1, with deadlines set for May 30, and May 10, respectively.

It gives budding entrepreneurs across the continent a narrow window to put their projects forward for life-changing financial and technical backing.

The Prix Pierre Castel, now in its ninth edition, is open to entrepreneurs operating within food systems across seven African countries: Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Madagascar, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

The Fonds Pierre Castel, which administers the prize, is seeking innovators whose ventures demonstrate measurable economic, social, and environmental impact, alongside a clear capacity for growth and scale.

This year's edition builds on the momentum of the previous one, which introduced a Pan-African grand prize worth €35,000, equivalent to approximately 23 million FCFA. 

Cameroonian entrepreneur, Astrid Nfongmo Ndangang, claimed the national prize at the last edition, and the search is now on for her successor, as well as for the overall Pan-African laureate.

Eligible innovations span a broad range of sectors within agricultural value chains, including sustainable agricultural production, food processing, resource valorisation, logistics and commercial solutions, and food system technologies. 

Innovations may be technological, service-based, organisational or tied to business model development. Beyond the financial award, winners receive structured support including personalised mentoring, coaching, and strategic networking designed to accelerate business growth.

Eight entrepreneurs are expected to be selected continent-wide, with one ultimately claiming the Pan-African grand prize.

Running concurrently, the 16th edition of the POESAM competition is also accepting applications until May 10, 2026. 

The initiative, run by telecoms operator, Orange, identifies and supports entrepreneurial projects that harness technology to address societal and environmental challenges.

For this edition, the organisers are particularly focused on projects incorporating artificial intelligence, data solutions, or cybersecurity to generate positive outcomes for people and the planet. 

Eligible candidates must be founders of start-ups established for fewer than five years, operating within one of 17 participating countries across Africa and the Middle East where Orange maintains a presence.

Winners stand to receive up to 16 million CFA francs, alongside expert support and incubation through the Orange Digital Centre, as well as access to a cross-continental network of investors and partners. 

Applicants must present a solution that addresses a concrete community need while leveraging digital technologies, and their project must already have a working prototype.

Applications for POESAM can be submitted at poesam.orange.com, while further details on the Prix Pierre Castel application process are available through the Fonds Pierre Castel's official channels.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3760 of Tuesday April 14, 2026