Preparing to apply to TECA, here’s what you need to know
TECA is a venture launcher that promotes ambitious and innovative ventures in the area of climate resilience and adaptation. TECA will fund and support high-potential individuals with a demonstrated passion for climate action, to develop ideas into ventures. TECA’s mission is to launch 100 ventures by 2026 to bolster the climate resilience of vulnerable communities and the planet, leveraging fintech and other enabling technologies.
In line with our core mission, we aim to build a TECA community to connect a growing network of experts, investors, and other like-minded individuals committed to a climate-resilient future.
Our first Wave of entrepreneurs focused on the Blue Economy in East Africa.
Our current wave, the Africa Blue Wave focuses on the Blue Economy in Kenya, Tanzania, Madgascar, Mozambique and Comoros
The blue economy comprises those sets of activities generating livelihoods and ecosystem services from bodies of water–oceans, lakes and rivers, while conserving the blue spaces. This includes large and established sectors such as:
We are looking for individuals who are interested in starting their own climate tech ventures. The ventures must be focused on providing solutions that sustainably leverage opportunities and mitigate challenges to promote the well-being of communities and ecosystems in and around the oceans, lakes and rivers across East Africa.
Absolutely! TECA’s Waves are for individuals who are passionate about launching ventures for climate resilience but are yet to identify investors, teammates, or even solid business ideas. We are here to support you. All you need to bring is your talent and commitment to building climate resilience for vulnerable communities and our planet.
For the Africa Blue Wave, we are looking for 40 talented individuals with a demonstrated passion for climate action to join our venture launcher.
We are primarily looking for fellows with the following nationalities: Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, and Comoros. We will also consider other nationalities as well.
We are particularly interested in launching ventures with operations and activities in East Africa, at least at the outset.
A TECA Blue Wave is organized in the three phases outlined below. Upon selection to become a TECA founder, active engagement in the program will be required depending on whether respective individuals and their teams qualify to progress to the end – TECA graduation. The phases are broken down as follows:
Up to 7 months upon being selected to engage as a TECA founder.
Approximately 20 – 25 hours per week of your time during the team and venture formation stage. If you can dedicate more time, you will increase your chances of success.
Once your venture is selected for the venture building stage, we’ll expect you to work on it full-time.
In the initial team/venture formation phase, you do not need to quit your job, however, we ask that you commit at least 50% of your time to the TECA fellowship program.
If your venture is selected by the investor committee as one of seven investible entities to receive USD 55,000 (split across funding and technical assistance), you will then be required to be fully committed. Otherwise, you would be hurting the chances of success for the venture and your teammates. Launching startups is hard and the founding team needs to be fully focused to have a real chance of success.
The program will support you in forming teams with other fellows. We are open to considering individuals who would like to apply as a team if they are a strong fit.
The program makes decisions on a rolling basis. The final decision about all the fellows who have been accepted in the program will be made a few weeks after the applications close. Applicants will receive communication on their status after each interview round.
No, you do not. You will be expected to attend one in-person session in September that will last approximately 1 week. The rest of the sessions will be virtual.
In 6 months, we help you transform from a passionate individual to a founding team member behind a climate startup. If you join our program, you will get the following:
NO. There are absolutely no fees to pay to participate. In fact, we will pay you a stipend so you can focus on this critical work.