DEADLINE Call for Applications:
CLOSED
THE SPORTS ECONOMY
PROPELLOR PROGRAM
East Africa’s sports economy is taking shape and ripe with opportunity: from grassroots leagues and local tournaments to fan culture, merchandise, media, and matchday logistics, there’s growing activity around sport. What’s missing is the business infrastructure to support it: the ventures, services, and systems that turn that activity into income, jobs, and scale.
This program is about changing that.
Together with the SCF we are looking to support 30–50 entrepreneurs who are building the foundations of a stronger, more connected sports economy. Not through sponsorships or stardom — but through real ventures that meet real needs on the ground.
If you’re already working on something that touches the world of sport — or you’re close to launching — this program is designed to help you to:
✅ Refine your business model
✅ Connect with like-minded founders
✅ Access expert mentorship and resources
✅ Accelerate your growth and impact plans
1
Fan Engagement & Community Building
Sport doesn’t grow in silence. It grows when people talk, wear, watch, and feel connected. This category is for entrepreneurs creating the visibility and emotion that sport depends on — from merchandise and matchday experiences to media, storytelling, commentary, and social platforms. Whether you’re helping fans show up, speak up, or stay connected, your work turns games into culture and communities into supporters.
2
Tech, Data & Performance Tools
Performance isn’t just about talent — it’s about the systems around it. This category is for tools that help players train smarter, coaches plan better, and clubs make clearer decisions. That could mean wearables that track progress, platforms that scout talent or track athlete performance, or software that improves how referees, coaches, and teams operate. If you’re building the behind-the-scenes tools that sharpen performance and professionalism, this is where you fit.
3
Sports Events & Services
Every match, tournament, or training session relies on what happens behind the scenes. This category is for entrepreneurs making sports events and services more reliable, professional, and accessible — whether you’re managing facilities, organising tournaments, handling logistics, or supplying equipment. It also includes sport-focused catering, transport, or hospitality — and even travel packages or regional competitions that turn local games into bigger experiences.
4
Sports Apparel, Equipment & Accessories
Sport needs gear that works — and products that reflect its energy. This category is for entrepreneurs designing and manufacturing apparel, equipment, or accessories that meet the real needs of players, fans, and organisers. That might mean developing more durable balls for community play, custom kits for youth leagues, or accessible gear adapted to local conditions. It could also include fan merchandise with strong design or innovative distribution. If you’re turning physical products into enablers of better sport, this is where you belong.
5
Fitness, Health & Wellbeing
Not everyone plays competitively — but everyone moves. This category is for ventures that connect sport to everyday health and lifestyle. That includes accessible fitness programs, wellness coaching, recovery tools, or mobile apps that help people stay active. It could also mean nutrition services, group training formats, or locally relevant models that bring movement into homes, schools, workplaces, and communities. If your work supports a healthier, more active population through sport, this is your space.
6
Club, Facility & Business Operations
Clubs, leagues, and stadiums are the backbone of the sports economy — but most are underfunded, underused, or poorly structured. This category is for those working to change that: club managers, team owners, facility operators, and entrepreneurs building models for financial sustainability, better service delivery, or commercial growth. Whether you’re managing a local league, running a community stadium, or professionalising a club’s operations, you’re helping build the infrastructure that sport depends on.
Tired of building in isolation? If you’re pushing boundaries in any of these areas, we want to work with you.
DEADLINE Call for Applications:
CLOSED
AREAS OF APPLICATION
The sports economy is bigger than the game — covering fans, players, events, products, and wellbeing — but most of it remains informal and underdeveloped. This program is about turning that energy into viable businesses. We are looking for entrepreneurs across the six categories already outlined: fan engagement, tech and performance tools, events and services, sports fashion and products, fitness and wellbeing, and club/facility operations.
Whether you’re designing better gear, building fan platforms, organising tournaments, or professionalising club management, the focus is the same: ventures that strengthen the business side of sport and can grow into sustainable enterprises.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
Our expectation is not just inspiring ideas — but tangible ventures that can stand on their own feet. By the end of the program, participants will have:
Clearer, stronger business models tailored to gaps in the sports value chain.
Prototypes, pilots, or refined products/services ready to test or scale.
Links to peers and experts who can strengthen commercial and operational aspects.
Greater visibility for ventures, not just with funders, but also with clubs, fans, and partners who form the real market.
Most importantly, the program aims to show that sport is not only about athletes and trophies — it is a platform for jobs, services, and business growth, capable of creating thousands of opportunities when supported with the right infrastructure.
PROGRAMME DETAILS
This is a focused, time-bound program designed to help entrepreneurs in sport move from idea to stronger business.
Duration: 3–6 months, depending on stage and needs
Format: Hybrid — with both online and in-person sessions
Support offered: Tailored mentorship, business model refinement, technical guidance, visibility, and linkages to potential partners and customers
Participants: 15–20 entrepreneurs working in any of the six categories — from community play to professional management and the eco-system to support it
Selection criteria: Clear commercial potential, commitment to follow-through, and a willingness to test and grow
The program is not about sponsorship or stardom. It is about building ventures that solve real problems in sport and can stand as businesses.
Call to Action
Are you working on something that could change the game — even in a small part of the chain?
FOR PARTICIPANTS
ARE YOU WORKING ON SOMETHING THAT COULD STRENGTHEN THE SPORTS ECONOMY?
If you’re developing an innovative solution anywhere in the sports value chain — whether it’s a fan platform, new event service, product design, or club operation model — this program is for you.
Application deadline: 25 September
How to apply:
Submit your application online (early applications are encouraged, as places are limited)
THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS WITH OTHERS SHAPING THE FUTURE OF SPORTS IN EAST AFRICA.
OUR PARTNERS
