Grace Ashiru
Tanzanian technology founders have been invited to apply for the Africa Blockchain Festival Fellowship Program 2026, an initiative designed to connect entrepreneurs with investors, mentors and other participants in Africa’s technology ecosystem.
The programme will run around the Africa Blockchain Festival, scheduled for October 15–17 at the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi, Kenya
Despite the festival’s blockchain-focused name, eligibility is broader than cryptocurrency or Web3.
Founders developing businesses in artificial intelligence, fintech, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, digital payments, digital identity, healthtech, climate technology, mobility, software-as-a-service and other technology sectors are also eligible.
Entrepreneurs from Tanzania are being encouraged to participate alongside founders from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and other African markets.
The initiative is designed to give participants access to investors and business networks that may be difficult for early-stage founders to reach independently.
Investment firms including Antler and Launch Africa Ventures are involved in the broader fellowship ecosystem.
Their participation provides founders with exposure to organisations that regularly evaluate early-stage companies and can help entrepreneurs better understand how venture investors assess products, markets, teams and commercial traction.
The fellowship also comes at a time when Tanzania is trying to strengthen its startup and innovation ecosystem.
The country has hosted programmes including Innovation Week Tanzania and has introduced regulatory mechanisms intended to create controlled environments for testing new financial products.
Selected Africa Blockchain Festival fellows can receive access to networking, mentorship and investor-facing opportunities during the Nairobi gathering.
Some participation pathways also include support for travel, accommodation and festival access.
However, selection into the programme does not guarantee that a startup will receive investment.
The principal benefit is access to investors, mentors, potential commercial partners and other founders from across the continent.
For Tanzanian entrepreneurs seeking to raise capital or expand into regional markets, those relationships could prove valuable.
The programme offers an opportunity for founders to test their pitches, strengthen investor readiness and build connections outside Tanzania before attempting larger fundraising rounds.
