Delta40 x Bestseller Foundation
Circular Economy Innovation Program
Applications Open now until March 24, 2025
Delta40, in partnership with the Bestseller Foundation, is thrilled to launch the Delta40 x Bestseller Foundation Circular Economy Innovation Program —designed to accelerate breakthrough circular economy solutions across Africa. This high-impact initiative provides venture studio support, funding opportunities, and strategic guidance to drive innovations that create jobs, foster economic growth, enhance climate resilience, and reduce emissions
Informed by leading founders, investors, and global innovation initiatives, the 6-month program is designed to identify and support transformative circular economy ventures on the continent. It will culminate in a Scale Summit that will bring together key industry leaders to catalyze innovation, investment, and collaboration in Africa’s circular economy.
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Sector Focus
Circular economy presents a massive opportunity to drive economic growth, improve livelihoods, and create large-scale planetary impact across Africa. Delta40 & Bestseller Foundation's 6-month Circular Economy Innovation Program is designed to back ventures addressing critical gaps in agriculture, textiles, and renewable energy. Through capital, hands-on support, and ecosystem access, we’re catalyzing solutions that can scale.
Textiles
The continent is struggling with textile waste, and it is a challenge to find scalable solutions that work within existing informal markets and production systems.
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Textile waste in Africa is projected to rise by 60% by 2030, yet less than 1% of textiles are recycled back into new fibers. Kenya and Ghana are among the most challenged by discarded clothing.
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Africa currently imports over 70% of its garments from second-hand sources.
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Textile dyeing and processing contribute to water pollution, particularly in West and East Africa, where synthetic dyes dominate over natural alternatives.
Sub sector focus:
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Bio-based, Regenerative Materials & Material Science
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Textile Recycling & Fiber-to-Fiber Recovery
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Upcycling, Downcycling & Zero-Waste Design
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Digital Platforms (Second hand market in Fashion in Africa)
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Traceability & Circular Supply Chains
Renewable Energy
Most renewable energy technologies are capex heavy and opex light. Solar panels and wind turbines require up-front investment to install, but eliminate fuel costs. We are striving to find the right blend of finance for these solutions.
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Despite being home to 60% of the world’s solar resources, Africa has only 1% of installed solar Photovoltaic capacity
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Cost of Finance for renewables in Africa is 2x that of the US
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600 million people in Africa lack access to electricity
Sub sector focus:
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Solar Energy Circularity
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Materials Recovery
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Battery Circularity & Storage
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Bioenergy & Waste-to-Energy
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E-Waste Recovery for Energy Tech – Rare earth metal extraction, lithium recovery
Agriculture & Food
Global warming has negatively impacted agricultural production in Africa, affecting the overall food system. To support a rapidly growing population, there is increasing demand for alternative agriculture applications to adapt to changing weather conditions in Africa
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Africa’s population is expected to 2x by 2050 from 1B to 2B and then grow to 4.2B by 2100. Food & Ag market to grow 3x to >$1T by 2030 given population & economic growth.
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Agriculture accounts for >20% of total global emissions. Africa only contributes 3% of global emissions, but over 60% the population consists of smallholder farmers affected by climate change. Food is >50% of income and must become more affordable.
Sub sector focus:
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Regenerative Agriculture
Food Waste Reduction & Upcycling -
Compost & Soil Health Solutions – Biofertilizers, composting technologies
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Closed-Loop Urban Farming
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Sustainable Packaging for Food Systems
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Water-Efficient Agriculture (drip irrigation, needed for cotton)
The Delta40 Difference
This isn’t just another accelerator. In this program, bold ideas meet the resources, expertise, and networks they need to thrive. We don’t just invest in ventures; we build alongside our founders, leveraging a team of seasoned entrepreneurs and operators who have built companies on the continent. This means that in addition to the typical features of an innovation program, participants will benefit from:
Execution Support for innovation design, testing, & commercialization from a team of experienced entrepreneurs and business leaders with deep energy expertise in Africa
Workshops and mentorship from Delta40 operators and other ecosystem players to support and leverage to create scalable solutions.
Access to a Curated Ecosystem –– Delta40’s highly curated events bring together founders, operators, academics, investors, and funders designed to spark meaningful relationships, unlock synergies, and create tangible opportunities for growth and scale.
Strong Community of Technical Founders across Africa that will share insights, pilot technologies, co-develop solutions, and provide peer support to tackle industry-specific challenges including regulatory hurdles, technology adoption and new market entry.
Circular Economy Scale Summit where the selected ventures will have an opportunity to pitch to a curated group of leading entrepreneurs, investors, corporates and other key ecosystem leaders for the purpose of catalyzing innovation and investment in the sector in Africa.
Program Requirements
Founder Profile
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Demonstrate deep expertise in the circular economy space
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Possess a solid understanding of technical innovations, with the ability to drive commercialisation and scale impact.
Team
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We’re seeking founding teams of 2 individuals building ventures anywhere from pre-seed to growth stage with traction.
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Applicants should be founders or Senior Executives within the Circular Economy Sectors
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Applications are open to ventures from all parts of Africa
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The program is open to all founders building in Africa, regardless of their nationality, race, or background
Commitment
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Founders will dedicate at least 10 hours per week to the program.
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3 hours per week will be in-person sessions held late afternoons
The remaining time is focused on advancing your venture with Delta40’s guidance. -
The program includes a one-week in-person kickoff in Kenya with a Scale Summit in Nairobi on October 1 & 2 2025, providing participants with immersive experiences to build connections, refine strategies, and prepare for scaling their ventures.
Program Offerings
Circular economy presents a massive opportunity to drive economic growth, improve livelihoods, and create large-scale planetary impact across Africa. Delta40 & Bestseller Foundation's 6-month Circular Economy Innovation Program is designed to back ventures addressing critical gaps in agriculture, textiles, and renewable energy. Through capital, hands-on support, and ecosystem access, we’re catalyzing solutions that can scale.
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Masterclasses and Workshops led by Entrepreneurs and Operators
Immersive workshops designed to accelerate problem discovery, customer validation, and business model innovation. These sessions include applied content and masterclasses led by experienced entrepreneurs & operators directly aligned with each venture's growth trajectory and challenges.
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Access to Capital
Opportunities to pitch for feasibility study grants, studio investments ($25K–$250K), and additional co-investor funding.
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Strategy Sessions
One-on-one sessions with Delta40 CXOs, advisors, and industry experts, offering personalized guidance to refine strategies, tackle key challenges, and scale effectively
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Community
Become part of Delta40’s robust ecosystem, with access to a network of investors, mentors, and global advisors. This community is designed to help founders unlock funding, build strategic partnerships, and leverage collective wisdom for growth.
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Exit for Impacts
Strategy
Exit planning from Day 1. At Delta40, we’re reimagining how we plan for and facilitate exits through an ecosystem approach. We also support founders on long-term exit strategies through our in-house developed workshops and planning tools.
What founders say about
our programs
"The support during the Basecamp was outstanding, particularly the 1:1 pitch practice sessions and the forums. These personalized interactions provided invaluable, tailored feedback, helping refine my presentation and strategy. The workshops, expert panels, and in-field visits were also incredibly insightful, equipping me with practical tools to scale my venture. Additionally, the networking opportunities with global investors and ecosystem leaders were well-facilitated and impactful."
"The program provided invaluable insights into capital strategy, particularly around structuring our capital stack to blend equity, debt, and grant funding. Through sessions with capital experts, we developed a clear pitch for future funding rounds and refined our financial forecasting to present to investors, giving us a stronger foundation for engaging with potential funders in the coming months."
"The program helped me push my business to the
next level by providing networks and also upskilling my business skills"
BESTSELLER Foundation partners with organisations that invest in entrepreneurs that invest in people and planet. The foundation believes in the power of changemakers and their potential to co-create a better tomorrow.
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By supporting organisations that streamline the entrepreneurial journey and providing philanthropic resources for projects and events, BESTSELLER Foundation fosters growth and innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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The fundings support in-depth workshops, valuable roundtables, longer innovation programs and other activities driving change and advance sustainable solutions.