The French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of France and the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) are proud to announce the return of Création Africa. Création Africa aims to boost and support cultural entrepreneurship in South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi.
Création Africa is a programme which takes a holistic approach, that combines mentorship, incubation, training, funding and networking to support cultural entrepreneurs at all stages of their journey, with a focus on entrepreneurs who are ready to take their business to the next level through dedicated mentorship and investment.
Entrepreneurs, over the age of 18, within the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI), resident in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi are invited to apply to participate in an intensive mentorship programme starting in February 2026. From the applications, 50 entrepreneurs will be selected to take part in a 7-week intensive mentorship programme, which aims to equip them with tools, guidance, and expertise necessary to refine their business models.
After the 7-week intensive mentorship, applicants will have the opportunity to pitch their project ideas to a jury for the opportunity to be selected as part of the Top 15 entrepreneurs. The successful Top 15 will be taken through a 6-month project Incubation Phase from April to early October 2026. During this time each selected project will receive customized support including, access to networks, investors, mentorship, strategic guidance and financial support to scale up their business.
Ambassador of France to South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi, H.E. Mr David Martinon shared, “Création Africa empowers creative entrepreneurs from South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi to grow, innovate and collaborate. Through this program, deployed in several African countries, France supports cultural and creative industries as they contribute to sustainable growth and job creation.”
Création Africa aims to support a vibrant and sustainable ecosystem for cultural entrepreneurship in Africa by collaborating with local and international incubators and businesses, institutions and partners. Création Africa will operate under the oversight of Team France, ensuring effective governance and strategic guidance.
For this project, a partnership has been established with the South African incubator UVU Africa, to implement and oversee both the mentoring phase and the incubation program. With over 25 years of experience in scaling up startups, they bring valuable expertise to the initiative.
The Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) cover a broad spectrum of sectors that contribute to cultural expression and economic growth. These include visual and performing arts; film and television; craft and design; architecture; fashion; digital media; gaming; animation; cultural heritage; as well as creative and cultural promotional spaces.
Read the detailed application guidelines on the IFAS website here
Applications close on Sunday, 7 December 2025, at 23:59
Press release courtesy of ThinkArtMedia
