How to put your startup on VC4A
TL;DR
VC4A is a platform that connects founders in emerging markets, mostly in Africa, with accelerator programmes, mentors and investors. Creating an account and a venture profile is free, and mentorship on VC4A is currently free too, apart from a few mentors who charge a fee shown on their profile. It suits early-stage African startups that want programme applications, mentors and investor visibility in one place.
What is VC4A?
VC4A has run for more than 10 years. Its homepage counts 280,000+ community members, 29,000+ ventures and 2,300+ startup programme organisers, and the entrepreneurs page adds 2,000+ investors and 800+ mentors in its Mentorship Marketplace. Alumni include seamlessHR, PiggyVest, Prestamype and Gozem.
Accelerators and other support organisations use VC4A to run applications, selection, due diligence and deal rooms, so a founder with a VC4A profile can apply to their programmes from one account. VC4A's own help pages note that some programmes require a venture profile on the platform. According to its help page, most ventures there are early stage and need between USD 10,000 and USD 1 million, and about three in ten have a social mission. Sectors include technology, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, healthcare and education.
Who should submit to VC4A?
Good fit:
- African startups from idea to growth stage that apply to accelerators and challenges, such as the OceanHub Africa Acceleration Program (cohort 8 closes on 7 December 2026).
- First-time founders who want mentors. Requests go through the Mentorship Marketplace, and mentorship there is currently free.
- Startups raising small rounds that fit the USD 10,000 to 1 million range of most VC4A ventures.
Skip it:
- Startups selling only in Europe or North America. Programmes, investors and events on VC4A centre on Africa and emerging markets.
- Later-stage companies raising large rounds, which sit outside the range of most VC4A investors and programmes.
How much does VC4A cost?
- Account and venture profile: free. The homepage invites founders to get started for free.
- Mentorship: free for now. The mentor FAQ says mentorship on VC4A is currently free, some mentors offer paid sessions with the price at the top of their profile, and VC4A charges no platform fee but reserves the right to change that.
- Investors get premium access options; VC4A publishes no prices for founders.
How do you share your startup on VC4A?
- Create an account at vc4a.com/login with email or a social account.
- Read the venture and community guidelines, then open Create a venture profile. Following the guidelines raises the chance VC4A publishes your venture.
- Fill in name, tagline, founding date, a short pitch, an optional pitch video, address, stage (idea, startup, growth or mature), customer types, up to three sectors, target countries and website, then publish. You can add more details afterwards.
- Browse open programmes and apply before each deadline.
- Request a mentor on the Mentorship Marketplace. A VC4A admin screens every request before approval.
Tips to get more out of VC4A
- Add a pitch video. The profile form has a field for it, and a two-minute video shows the team behind the pitch.
- Pick sectors and target countries with care. Investors and programme organisers filter ventures by these fields.
- Check the programmes page every week. Deadlines close fast: the MTN Africa PachiPanda Challenge closed on 30 October 2026.
- Book a free mentor before a paid one, and arrive with one specific question per session.
Our verdict
VC4A gathers 2,300+ programme organisers, hundreds of mentors and an investor network in one free account, so a complete venture profile pays off for any founder building in Africa. Founders outside Africa and emerging markets get little from it.
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