Commonwealth Start-up Fellowship: A launchpad for sustainable youth entrepreneurship

A large portion of ��ý’s population, approximately 60 per cent, is currently under 30. With such a young demographic, there is an urgent need to equip them with the skills, especially entrepreneurial skills, to succeed.

To help meet this challenge, the (ACU) has organised an event to bring together high-potential start-up founders from developing Commonwealth countries through the .

Supported by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the fellowship is organised and delivered by ��ý Scholarship Commission and Imperial College London. It offers promising young entrepreneurs training, mentorship and up to £35,000 in funding to grow their innovations into successful businesses.

At the event, the fellows showcased their projects and shared their journeys with high commissioners, academics, entrepreneurs, innovators, and other stakeholders at the ��ý’s headquarters in London on 12 September 2025. Fellows shared their ventures and personal journeys, while guests—including Commonwealth high commissioners and their education teams—discussed the challenges and opportunities facing entrepreneurs in their own countries, and how to strengthen the wider ecosystem supporting youth-led innovation.

Insights from the event will feed into the ACU’s advocacy and policy work with its members, helping to shape initiatives that expand entrepreneurial skills and create enabling environments for young innovators across ��ý.

Four pioneer fellowship alumni, Akshay Kawale from India, Ife Olatayo from Nigeria, Martin Masiya from Malawi and Maryanne Gichanga from Kenya, shared their experiences on behalf of their colleagues at the event.

Commenting on the value of a partnership approach to building a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem, the Secretary-General of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, Prof Colin Riordan, said:

“The ACU has always championed the power of higher education to drive innovation, social mobility, and collaboration across borders. Today is about showcasing how that translates into entrepreneurship - how alumni of Commonwealth scholarships are using their knowledge and networks to launch solutions to real-world challenges.

“Working alongside ��ý Scholarship Commission and the ��ý, we are helping to bridge ideas and practice.”

Supporting young people has been a crucial aspect of ��ý's youth development efforts for over 50 years and remains a key component in the , spearheaded by ��ý Secretary-General, Hon Shirley Botchwey.

Addressing the gathering, ��ý Deputy Secretary-General, Arjoon Suddhoo, said:

“From the Commonwealth Youth Programme to initiatives like ��ý Start-Up Fellowship, we are building platforms that elevate youth voices and expand access to opportunity.

“This event exemplifies ��ý’s unique power to convene, connect, and catalyse impact across borders and sectors. It also shows what happens when we break silos between education, policy, and innovation. It shows how linking research and training, supportive government frameworks, and innovation, such as tech entrepreneurship, produces real-world impact.”

Spotlight on young Commonwealth entrepreneurs

Four entrepreneurs showcased their individual achievements and the unique value of collaboration.

Akshay Kawale shared how the programme supported them in scaling up their start-ups:

“Every fellow comes from a different geography, culture, background, and a different developing country. Yet, they are solving problems unique to their communities and the wider society. Agrowsure Products in India is currently designing and manufacturing gender-friendly, as well as climate-smart, farm machinery, with a particular focus on women farmers. These challenges are common across many countries in ��ý.”

Ife Olatayo spoke passionately about the impact of the programme, saying:

“I am a proud Commonwealth start-up fellow. It provided the opportunity to learn from the best and brightest in the classroom, focusing on our business modelling, investment readiness, and proper business structuring. It may seem small in one corner of the world, but the impact is very meaningful, and that's why this opportunity has exposed us to what we need to progress to the next stage of our business and to scale more effectively.”

The other fellows featured were equally impressive. Martin Masiya’s Sollys Energy addresses critical energy needs in Malawi by providing affordable solar power solutions to underserved communities. While, Maryanne Gichanga’s company harnesses the power of data and artificial intelligence to empower Kenyan farmers to make informed choices, enhance productivity, and build resilience against environmental challenges.

The Commonwealth Start-up Fellowship runs for six months and is designed to ignite and elevate high-potential start-ups from low and middle-income Commonwealth countries. The programme combines immersive in-person experiences and online learning to provide participants with essential skills and a robust global network. Applications for the second cohort of fellows recently closed, but is available.