CAIF APPLICATION FORM FOR CANADA-BASED APPLICANTS

Please review the following information carefully before submitting your application at the bottom of the page.

Fellowship Overview

EWB Canada launched the Canada-Africa Innovation Fellowship program in 2021 with the aim of providing a unique and rare opportunity for undergraduate students and recent graduates based in Canada and sub-Saharan Africa to work together and develop innovative and viable solutions to complex global challenges.

More specifically, the Fellowship (1) develops Fellows’ professional, entrepreneurial and leadership capacities through an accelerator-type training series, mentorship and coaching from sector experts; and (2) provides Fellows with an international and cross-cultural platform to engage in innovation design challenges for create equitable, sustainable, scalable and viable solutions for complex global problems.

Over a 5-month period, Innovation Fellows will be trained, supported and given the opportunity to tailor-make products, solutions and / or processes to overcome systemic challenges faced by vulnerable communities. At the end of the program, Fellows will have the tools, resources and plans to take their innovations to market as viable social ventures.

Fellow Eligibility and Selection Criteria

To apply for the Innovation Fellowship, Candidates must:

Be above the age of 18 prior to the time of application
Be a senior undergraduate, in engineering or non-engineering background with an interest in global development/social impact. Note: graduating students and recent graduates are eligible to apply.
Capability to be resourceful and meet deadlines.
Have an interest in entrepreneurship, innovation and climate change;
Have the drive, ambition, and interest to find new ways to solve complex challenges;
Have the capacity to gather comprehensive information on complex problems or situations, and the ability to evaluate and analyze information accurately in order to identify key issues and offer viable solutions;, and to communicate effectively, and execute good judgment.
Have the ability to live and work with diverse, international teams including program implementers in a multicultural setting with efficiency and diplomacy.
Be willing to inspire and educate people in your own community on what you have learned through this program (e.g. at Chapter or EWB events, etc.)
Be comfortable with using English as a main language of communication.
Fellows must be able to attend the in person orientation sessions and commit fully to the 4 months starting in May to August 2023.

Our Commitment to Invest in our Fellows:

People bring powerful ideas to life. At EWB, we identify, encourage and equip talented leaders to lift the collective prospects of our planet. We spot potential and invest in people who turn big ideas into big impact. As a 2022 Canada-Africa Innovation Fellow, you have a unique opportunity to:

participate in several online learning labs facilitated by experts with real-life experience in the social innovation ecosystem;
receive mentorship and coaching from experienced industry experts drawn from around the world;
network, collaborate and benefit from several peer-to-peer learning opportunities and with like minded individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds;
have the opportunity to co-found an initiative that can impact millions of lives across the world;
attend a graduation ceremony where certificates will be awarded to fellows and be recognized as an EWB Canada fellow / alumni of the Canada-Africa Innovation Fellowship Program, unlocking further networks and opportunities for your professional, leadership and entrepreneurial growth.

Important Dates (Canada-Based Applications Only):

Applications Open: 31 October 2022
Application Deadline: Applications will be reviewed and considered on a rolling basis. Candidates are encouraged to submit applications at their earliest convenience, as space in the program is limited. Applications past 1 December 2022 will not be considered.
Application Results: By December 2022
Program Start: March 2022

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this program only for engineers and engineering students?

No. EWB strongly believes in the importance of applying holistic interdisciplinary approaches to solve even the most technical of problems. Therefore, Fellows from all technical and academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Do I need a technical background to participate in the program? Does this program only support the development of high-tech innovations?

No. This Fellowship sees innovation as an approach that is accessible to all and focuses on when and how to apply an innovation process. It provides a platform for participants to address and overcome systemic and operational challenges through the use of innovation methodologies (such as experimentation and testing). These solutions may come in the form of high-tech, low tech and even zero-tech products, services, or processes. Fellows from all technical and academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Do I need a business background or entrepreneurship experience to participate in the program? Will the Fellowship focus on entrepreneurship?

Entrepreneurship is an integral part of this Fellowship to ensure that the social innovations and solutions produced by Fellows are viable and market ready. Through learning labs, mentorship and coaching, participants will be exposed to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and will gain the tools, resources, and plans to ensure that their social innovations are ready to create sustainable impact in the communities they are supporting.

Applicants are not expected to have entrepreneurial skills or experience prior to their participation in the Fellowship; however, they should be able to exhibit their entrepreneurial spirit and drive to use innovation and entrepreneurship for creating social change.

How much time would I have to commit to this initiative?

The core component of the Fellowship will take place between the months of May and August 2022. Fellows are expected to commit between 10 and 15 hours each week. While some training will be conducted at specific times, much of the engagement will be determined by the Fellows’ own schedules, taking into account their group members’ time zones, etc.

Travel restrictions permitting, participants may also be brought together for a 2 day weekend retreat in their respective countries for an in-person foundation training session in April.

The core component of the Fellowship will take place between the months of May and August 2023. This is a full time engagement program. While some training will be conducted at specific times, much of the engagement will be determined by the Fellows’ own schedules.