Applications for the 2024 Pierre Castel Prize are now being accepted. The Pierre Castel Fund and its partners, including Castel El Djazaïr, Brakina, Boissons du Cameroun, Solibra, Star, and Bracongo SA, are organizing the 7th edition of the PIERRE CASTEL PRIZE, which will take place from March 1 to July 10, 2024. Six African countries are eligible for participation in this edition: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Eligibility Criteria:
- You must be an agricultural entrepreneur.
- You should be between the ages of 18 and 45..
- You must hold nationality in one of the countries included in this edition and currently reside there.
- Your business must be legally established and operational for a minimum of one year.
- You must have a development project that demonstrates a measurable social, economic, and environmental impact on your ecosystem.
Prizes:
The 2024 Pierre Castel Prize will honor 36 entrepreneurs, with 6 winners selected from each participating country. The grants awarded through this competition aim to foster the growth of the chosen enterprises and amplify their impact within the value chains. Additionally, these awards seek to promote the professional development of entrepreneurs, facilitate knowledge sharing, and encourage the establishment of pan-African collaborations.
AWARDS
- 1st place winners: €15,000, sponsorship, and enrollment in a coaching program
- 2nd place winners: €10,000 and participation in a coaching program
- Finalists: Access to certified entrepreneurial e-learning training provided by the Geneva International Trade Center (ITC) and inclusion in the Young Hopes Prize for Sustainable Agriculture and Food.
Timeline:
- March 1 to April 15: Call for applications in Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Madagascar, and the Democratic Republic of Congo
- March 10 to April 15: Call for applications in Ivory Coast
- April 16 to 30: Review of applications and selection of 36 entrepreneurs (6 per country)
- May 2 to 14: Field visits
- May 21–May 31: Candidate auditions will be conducted by local juries; 12 winners will be chosen (2 each country).
- June 3 to 14: Development of provisional plans for the use of endowment
- June 21: Grand Jury
- July 10: Algiers hosts the Pan-African awards ceremony.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo:
- April 17 to 18: Review of applications and preselection
- April 22 to May 5: Field visits
- • May 6: The six finalists will be chosen.
- May 17: Local jury
- May 27 to 31: Development of provisional plans for the use of endowment
Application Requirements
- Completed application form
- Presentation file
- Curriculum vitae (resume)
- Copy of identity document (passport recommended)
- Accounting balance sheet or operating account for the financial year 2023
- Official document confirming the legal existence of your business (Note: The application form and presentation file can be accessed on the dedicated platform for registrations for the 2024 Pierre Castel Prize.)
For further details,
Application Deadline: April 15, 2024
