New USD 75 K African Cities Innovation Fund Launches For Urban Tech Solutions

The Judith Neilson Foundation has teamed up with the Million Lives Collective (MLC) to launch the African Cities Innovation Fund, a new grant programme backing tech-enabled urban solutions across African cities. Announced at the IDIA global summit in Nairobi, the fund will offer grants of up to USD 75 K to joint teams building digital tools and infrastructure responses for transport, climate stress and basic services.

With Africa’s urban population set to double to 1.4 billion by 2050, traditional infrastructure is struggling to keep pace, while venture funding for civic and climate tech has cooled. The fund tests a new model: backing collaborations between startups, civic groups and public agencies rather than solo pilots.

Selected teams will also receive technical support and access to global development funders, aiming to determine not just whether ideas work, but whether partnerships can scale under real conditions.