The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is inviting applications for its 2027–2028 Training, Mentoring and Matchmaking Program on Intellectual Property for Women Entrepreneurs from Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in African Countries. This initiative aims to equip women entrepreneurs with practical knowledge and skills to strategically use intellectual property (IP) to grow and protect their community-based businesses.

 

The program includes an in-person training workshop in Gaborone, Botswana (22–26 February 2027), followed by a year-long mentoring and matchmaking phase. WIPO will cover the costs of travel, accommodation, and subsistence for selected participants. Eligible applicants are women entrepreneurs from Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

 

 📄 Download the full call for applications (PDF): WEP Africa Flyer 2026