KijaniSpace Space-IoT Innovation Programme 2026: Up to €5,000 for Agritech SMEs in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania

The KijaniSpace Space-IoT Innovation Programme, run under a Horizon Europe project, will fund five SMEs and start-ups with up to €5,000 each to improve an existing agriculture product using Copernicus satellite data and IoT tools. Applications close on 16 November 2026. Only companies legally established in Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania can apply, which makes it a call for East African agritech founders who already have something running.

At a glance

Who can apply?

The programme page sets out these conditions:

• The applicant must be legally established and operating in Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania.
• It must be an SME or start-up that already has an agriculture-related product, service or application.
• The experiment must improve that existing solution for crop farming, fish farming or another climate-smart agriculture use case.
• One legal entity applies. Consortia of several companies are not accepted, and only one proposal per applicant or team member can be funded.
• The proposal must be in English.

Founders based elsewhere on the continent do not qualify, and the page states that a company outside the three countries cannot apply.

What do selected teams get?

Each of the five teams can receive up to €5,000. According to the page, 20% is paid as pre-financing and the remaining 80% is paid after the final report and deliverables are approved, covering only eligible actual costs linked to the approved activities. Teams also get access to the Space-IoT Box, described as an integrated set of Earth Observation resources, IoT tools, platforms and datasets, plus technical training, business development support, mentoring, product validation, pitch preparation and a final showcase. The experiment must use Copernicus together with Earth Observation, IoT or other Space-IoT Box resources.

How to apply

1. Read the call details on the official programme page.
2. Download the proposal template and complete it as a PDF in English. It covers the problem, target users, current solution, proposed innovation, Space-IoT Box resources, expected improvements, activities, outputs and budget.
3. Fill in the online form with your organisation name, country, contact details and team profile, and upload the PDF. Add the declaration of honour and ethics self-assessment where required.
4. Submit before 16 November 2026. The page states that applications sent through any other channel will not be accepted.

Proposals pass a completeness and eligibility check, then three evaluators score them on excellence, impact and implementation. The page lists the call and selection phase as running from 15 September 2026 to 8 January 2027.

Advice from the Africapreneurs team

• Check where your company is registered before anything else. Agritech founders in Nairobi, Kampala or Dar es Salaam fit the rule. A team registered elsewhere does not, however strong the product.
• Pitch an improvement to something that already works. The call funds an experiment on an existing product, so show current users and what is missing today.
• Name the Copernicus service and the Space-IoT Box tools you would use. Excellence is scored partly on that relevance.
• Build a budget you can defend line by line, since only eligible actual costs are reimbursed and 80% arrives after the final report.
• Use the contacts listed on the page for questions about the call.

FAQ

Is there a fee to apply? The programme page lists none.

Can a start-up outside Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania apply? No. The company must be legally established and operating in one of those three countries.

Do I need an existing product? Yes. The experiment must improve an existing agriculture-related product, service or application.

Can I apply by email? No. Only the official online submission form is accepted.

For wider coverage of the sector, see our piece on African agri startups driving agricultural innovation.

Sources

• KijaniSpace Space-IoT Innovation Programme, official page