About
Growth Accelerator is Inspiring Change Through Entrepreneurship
About the Growth Accelerator Programme
The Growth Accelerator (GA) is Malawi’s pioneering business acceleration programme, implemented by UNDP to scale high-potential, impact-driven enterprises. It provides financial support, technical assistance and mentorship to foster sustainable and inclusive growth.
Entrepreneurs who pass a rigorous selection process may receive grant funding of USD 10,000 to USD 40,000, matched by a 30% cash contribution from the company to ensure strong commitment and ownership.
The grant is complemented by six months of intensive Growth Labs (KULA Sessions, meaning “growth” in Chichewa), where businesses tackle operational and strategic challenges. Mentorship and peer learning continue throughout the two-year engagement period.
Since 2019, the programme has supported 106 entrepreneurs across ten rounds, creating 881 full-time jobs, developing 101+ new products, and reaching 92,817 low-income customers and 64,801 low-income households.
At its core, the Growth Accelerator empowers enterprises to scale sustainably, create jobs, attract investment and strengthen Malawi’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
ACCESS TO FINANCE
Up to $40,000 in co-financing
Growth Accelerator supports entrepreneurs with up to USD40,000 of business financing i.e. entrepreneurs may request any amount between $10,000 – $40,000. The funds requested are unlocked by entrepreneurs matching the requested amount from the accelerator with 30% of their own funds or from an investment partner.
The total budget for implementing business growth plans in 12 months is comprised of a 70% contribution by the accelerator and a 30% contribution by the entrepreneur or their chosen investment partner.
MENTORSHIP
6 months of Mentorship
Mentors are carefully matched to each venture based on identified needs and capacity gaps, ensuring that the support provided is relevant, practical, and impactful. Additionally, targets or objectives are agreed upon to achieve results between mentor and mentee based on the challenges or gaps identified. This targeted approach enables ventures to address specific challenges, strengthen their capabilities, and accelerate their growth.
The Growth Accelerator Programme recognizes that some of the most powerful knowledge comes from those who have walked the same path. By connecting entrepreneurs with experienced practitioners who have navigated similar journeys, the programme fosters knowledge transfer, strategic guidance, and transformative change.
Through mentorship, ventures gain not only technical and strategic insights, but also confidence, networks, and perspectives that enable them to scale sustainably and create lasting impact.
ACCESS TO FINANCE
6 months of Technical assistance
The Growth Accelerator Programme delivers tailored(Structured) technical assistance through KULA Sessions, a series of capacity-building boot-camps designed to help entrepreneurs understand their business models, operating environments, and growth pathways.
Through these sessions, ventures gain practical insights into how to strengthen their structures, refine their strategies, and manage sustainable business growth. The workshops also feature expert-led talks from industry professionals, providing real-world knowledge, tools, and perspectives.
KULA SESSIONS
Kula Sessions
The KULA Sessions cover six key thematic areas:
• Vision and Mission
• Market and Competition
• Product and Service Innovation
• Production, Systems, and Processes
• Investment and Financial Modelling
• Sales and Service Delivery
Delivered over a 6-month period, technical assistance, Kula Sessions, is at the core of the Growth Accelerator journey. It brings together knowledge, mentorship, and practical tools, making the programme a comprehensive package that empowers ventures not only to grow, but to grow sustainably and strategically.
Who can apply?
1. Must be registered as a for-profit enterprise in Malawi with a business license readily available for verification.
2. Should have a verified product or service on the market for not less than a year
3. Should be operational for not less than two years
4. Demonstrate sound financial practices such as basic bookkeeping
5. Demonstrate that the business has been generating monthly revenues for at least the past 1 year
6. Has the founders or at least one of the founders’ full time involvement in the business
7. Be a youthful entrepreneur aged up to maximum of 45 years old
8. Should NOT have gone through a previous round of the Growth Accelerator
Growth Accelerator Malawi is implemented by Landell Mills International in partnership with Imani Consultants. The programme is managed and supported by UNDP Malawi. Cohorts one to four were supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy. The programme’s fifth, sixth and the just launched seventh and eighth cohorts, are being supported by KfW German Development Bank and the Royal Norwegian Embassy, respectively. The programme also partners with investment partners that support entrepreneurs with business financing. The programme is currently in working partnership with National Bank of Malawi, NBS Bank and Standard Bank.