Jasiri Talent Investor
Jasiri Talent Investor
Jasiri Talent Investor is a 13-month program that backs battle-tested African talent before the venture exists, betting on the individual pre-idea, pre-team, pre-venture, and providing founder-friendly capital, infrastructure and guidance from venture formation to market validation.
Jasiri Talent Investor Foundations
Market Creating Innovations
Market-Creating Innovations: These are ventures that create economic activity at scale, as the thesis. Deep institutional conviction, held over the long term.
Intelligent Capital
Structured to fit each venture’s stage and region, founder-friendly instruments early, equity or SAFE structures as ventures mature. Sized, structured and timed for the actual shape of African venture building.
Jasiri Ecosystem
Backs specifically African talent to solve specifically African problems: From pre-idea through to growth. The Jasiri Ecosystem walks alongside the founder as a companion all the way to scale.
ABOUT COHORT 9
For the first time, an entire Jasiri cohort is anchored in one sector; Agriculture and Food Systems. Focusing a cohort on a shared struggle lets us align sector expertise, regulatory insight, partner networks and venture support around the specific constraints of that market, so every fellow builds with deeper support
In addition, 20% of our East African-launched venture portfolio has been in agriculture and food systems. Meaning a large portion of the founders and ventures we support from pre-idea to still operating were drawn to and found commercial opportunities in this space. They are also, so far, the ventures employing most people, on average. That doesn’t mean it’s an easy space to build in. There are so many problems worth solving on the African continent and we’re looking to support the subset of those that also offer commercial sustainability. Cohort 9 is offering an opportunity for a battlefield-tested individual looking to build in this space to join our next cohort.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
- A Kenyan, Rwandan or Ethiopian, residing in your country or in the diaspora.
- Well-informed and skilled in your professional field, with a genuine interest in agriculture and food systems, anywhere along the value chain.
- Historically, an achiever, problem solver, and value creator wherever you have focused your attention.
- Ready to pursue entrepreneurship full-time as a career, including three months of Residential Intensive in Kigali.
- Committed to launching a new, innovative venture with potential for rapid growth.
- Collaborative and eager to meet equally ambitious peers and co-found ventures from scratch.
- Open-minded enough to bring an idea with the willingness to test it, adapt it, or let it go.
Your 13-Month Journey
PHASE 1
Selection
Oct – Dec 2026
Review from application through selection conference, interviews and offers.
PHASE 2
Jasiri Jumpstart
From 18 Jan 2027 · Online, 1 month
Discover your WHY, your entrepreneurial edge, and fall in love with the problem.
PHASE 3
Residential Intensive
17 Feb – 23 May 2027 · Kigali
Team formation, problem and opportunity identification, customer and product development.
PHASE 4
Venture Creation
Up to 9 months
Launch in Rwanda, Kenya or Ethiopia with venture creation funds and coaching.
What you receive
- Training allowance
USD 250 per month through the Residential Intensive, including a USD 30 communication allowance (USD 30 communication allowance during Jumpstart) - Fully covered residence
Travel to and from Rwanda, accommodation, meals, transport and health insurance during the Residential Intensive - Validation funds
USD 3,000 per team for prototyping and testing during the validation stage - Venture creation grant
USD 28,200 per venture, disbursed in three milestone-gated tranches as your venture hits its marks - Coaching fund
USD 6,000 per venture for professional coaching in product, business model, strategy, accounting and more - Perks, network & what comes next
USD 22,000+ in partner perks (AWS, Notion, Perplexity, HubSpot), shared workspaces in Kigali, Nairobi and Addis Ababa, and a pathway to up to USD 75,000 in follow-on investment through the Jasiri Growth Accelerator or related entities USD 34,200 direct funding · USD 22,000+ in perks · pathway to USD 75,000 follow-on. We don't stop at launch.
USD 250 per month through the Residential Intensive, including a USD 30 communication allowance (USD 30 communication allowance during Jumpstart)
Travel to and from Rwanda, accommodation, meals, transport and health insurance during the Residential Intensive
USD 3,000 per team for prototyping and testing during the validation stage
USD 28,200 per venture, disbursed in three milestone-gated tranches as your venture hits its marks
USD 6,000 per venture for professional coaching in product, business model, strategy, accounting and more
USD 22,000+ in partner perks (AWS, Notion, Perplexity, HubSpot), shared workspaces in Kigali, Nairobi and Addis Ababa, and a pathway to up to USD 75,000 in follow-on investment through the Jasiri Growth Accelerator or related entities USD 34,200 direct funding · USD 22,000+ in perks · pathway to USD 75,000 follow-on. We don't stop at launch.