The Rockefeller Foundation has opened applications for its 2026 Big Bets Fellowship focused exclusively on Africa, inviting visionary leaders to join a transformative programme designed to equip them with the tools, networks, and mindset required to deliver large-scale systemic change. The initiative seeks to harness the continent’s youthful energy and entrepreneurial drive to create inclusive prosperity, resilient systems, and sustainable opportunities for underserved communities.
Running from May to autumn 2026, the fellowship combines virtual weekly sessions with an in-person gathering at the foundation’s Bellagio Center on Lake Como, Italy, during the week of 23 August. Travel costs for the residential convening will be fully covered, though participants must arrange any necessary visas. An amplification event in the autumn will showcase fellows’ work to global stakeholders.
Successful candidates will typically have between five and fifteen years of impactful experience gained through professional roles, entrepreneurial ventures, or community leadership. The foundation prioritises individuals deeply rooted in their regions who bring fresh perspectives to entrenched challenges, demonstrate a track record of mobilising diverse groups for meaningful results, and exhibit curiosity, collaboration, and the courage to challenge conventional approaches. All applicants must first join the Big Bets Community to access the formal application process, as outlined on the programme website, according to The Rockefeller Foundation.
Projects submitted—termed “Big Bets”—must aim for fundamental, not incremental, solutions with continent-wide or regional potential. Priority themes include fostering greater African collaboration in multilateral systems, accelerating decentralised renewable energy to bridge the energy poverty gap and enable green industrialisation, strengthening public health systems against disease outbreaks and extreme heat, transforming food systems through school meals or smallholder support, enhancing regional trade and market integration for excluded groups, or creating enabling environments through artificial intelligence, policy innovation, and improved data access.
The fellowship builds on the foundation’s century-long commitment to expanding opportunity, recognising Africa’s demographic and innovative advantages at a pivotal moment. With the continent projected to house one in four of the world’s people by 2050 and boasting the fastest urbanisation rate globally, targeted investment in leadership is seen as critical to translating potential into equitable progress.
Applications launched on 10 November 2025, with an initial eligibility and pre-application deadline of 1 December. Finalists will be invited in early January 2026 to submit full proposals and attend interviews later that month, with the cohort announced in late February. The programme echoes similar high-impact fellowships such as the Aspen Institute’s New Voices or the Atlantic Fellows networks, yet stands out for its explicit focus on catalytic “big bets” and African-led solutions, according to the Bellagio Center residency programme archives.
By assembling an interdisciplinary group of changemakers, the Big Bets Fellowship aims to catalyse solutions that not only address immediate challenges but also reshape systems for lasting continental benefit. Interested leaders are encouraged to review the detailed terms and conditions available on the foundation’s platform before proceeding.