This EU co-funded programme offers acceleration, grants of up to EUR 95,000 and investor support to growing plastics and e-waste businesses.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, 13 October 2026
Impact Amplifier will deliver the SWITCH Financing Facility: Scaling African Innovations in Plastic and E-Waste, a programme that helps growing circular economy businesses in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Angola and Ethiopia scale up, get investment-ready and raise capital.
The programme is co-funded by the European Union and German cooperation, and implemented by GIZ, Expertise France and COMESA. The SWITCH Financing Facility opens for applications on 7 December 2026. Impact Amplifier is implementing the programme in partnership with the African Circular Economy Network (ACEN), whose network of circular-economy specialists provides in-country technical support, and in collaboration with the Youth Café as the outreach partner.
Selected businesses receive three kinds of support. Forty businesses will join group acceleration, and up to 25 businesses will receive one-on-one advisory, matched to their stage of maturity. Up to 23 businesses will receive non-repayable catalytic grants of a minimum of EUR 30,000 and a maximum of EUR 95,000, paid in tranches against agreed milestones. Up to five of the strongest graduates will also receive hands-on transaction advisory to raise additional funding.
“The transition to a circular economy needs financing that responds to the realities of growing businesses. By combining technical assistance with catalytic finance, the SWITCH Financing Facility aims to help local enterprises scale solutions that keep materials in use and create economic opportunities.”
Sheena Sitwala Millapo, Private Sector Financing Expert, Expertise France
The programme is open to businesses that are legally registered and mainly operate in one of the six countries, have traded for at least two years, are at least 51% locally owned, run a circular business model in plastics, packaging, electronics or e-waste, already earn revenue, have accounting records and can scale commercially. Priority will go to businesses led or owned by women or youth (aged 18 to 35), or that create benefits for women or youth.
Business development support covers all the areas of grant/investment readiness alongside circular-economy technical support such as packaging redesign, recycling, repair and refurbishment, reverse logistics and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) compliance. The programme is free to join and delivered in English.
“Across East and Southern Africa, entrepreneurs are already turning plastic and electronic waste into viable businesses. This programme will help them strengthen their businesses, access catalytic grants and prepare for the follow-on investment they need to grow.”
Max Pichulik, Partner, Impact Amplifier
At a glance
- 6 countries: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Angola, Ethiopia
- EUR 30,000 – 95,000: minimum and maximum non-repayable grant
- 40: businesses in group acceleration
- Up to 25: businesses in one-on-one advisory
- 7 December 2026: applications open
- 18 January 2027: applications close
Register your interest prior to the launch to receive the opening announcement at switch-2-ce.impactamplifier.co.za. Applications open on 7 December 2026 and close on 18 January 2027, a six-week window. Acceleration begins at the end of February 2027.
About Impact Amplifier
Founded in 2011 with offices in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Lagos, Impact Amplifier is an accelerator, non-profit donor advised fund, FSCA-regulated asset manager and impact advisory firm committed to developing the impact ecosystem in Africa. It delivers four connected mandates: acceleration and business development, fund management, impact assessments and ecosystem solutions. For more information, visit impactamplifier.co.za.
Media Contact:
Narique Sangster | Inclusion and Communications Lead, Impact Amplifier
Contact through the Impact Amplifier contact form
This press release has been produced with the financial assistance of Expertise France and the European Union. The contents of this press release are the sole responsibility of Impact Amplifier Foundation and may under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of Expertise France or the European Union.