In Brief
The Based Founder Fellowship offers African blockchain startups funding, mentorship, and an immersive growth program from September 1-10 in Kenya.
Priority sectors include stablecoin solutions, on-chain identity, AI smart contracts, reward systems, SACCO innovations, and safe crypto custody.
The program bridges fragmented communities through in-person collaboration, unlocking global potential for local Web3 solutions.
Founders across East Africa have an opportunity in September, right at the heart of East Africa’s vibrant hub of innovation: Kenya. In under two years, the Base ecosystem rallied over 7,500 builders globally producing 1,250+ on-chain projects, and this year, Africa has taken an active role in building Africa’s Web3 community.
Builders within the continents are focusing on more than just using blockchain, developing actual solutions focusing on building. The Based Founder Fellowship highlights this growth by giving innovative minds a chance for mentorship, blockchain funding opportunities and an entry to a startup support program.
How Based Founder Fellowship Empowers East Africa’s Innovators
In Africa, blockchain is the next frontier for innovations, and Base is laying the groundwork. Shortly before the announcement, local innovators bagged $100K in funding with the Base Batches 001 providing the incentive to the next level.
CHECK OUT: The Base Effect: How African Startups Secured $20K in Latest Demo Batches
The Based Founder Fellowship focuses on providing the next step for its African-based blockchain startups from September 1-10. It’s no surprise, many promising ventures plateau after initial growth due to Africa’s fragmented communities.
This latest startup support program focuses on providing an immersive experience for high-performing founders. Interconnecting East Africa’s builder community is underway; however, leading industry experts offer founders the skills, insights and personal experiences when it comes to developing and launching actual projects.
Aside from gaining necessary one-one experience with industry experts these blockchain startups gain an opportunity to an exciting Demo day to pitch to top global VCs, and receive competitive post-program support.
The program provides a physical touch targeting post-launch founders ready for hypergrowth. The essential requirements include:
A steady and growing userbase of at least 1000 on-chain. This provides a clear-cut difference between working solutions and ideals. This also provides a practical base to implement strategies learnt throughout the experience.
Blockchain startups serving local communities are a non-negligible fact. The theme is by Africa for Africa, zeroing in on various issues.
While the Base Founder Fellowship is mainly interested in startups built within its network, the program offers opportunities to startups interested in switching sides and integrating with Base.
Aspiring blockchain startups must have an active fundraising round, allowing startups to scale and gain additional blockchain funding opportunities easily.
Despite the majority of builders and blockchain communities prefering virtual meet-ups, the BFF demands full commitment to show up to the physical pace. Africa’s blockchain community is a bit too fragmented, a physical ups ground community, allowing networking opportunities among founders and Base’s industry experts.
The announcements also highlight priority sectors aligning with Base Chain’s shift into embedding blockchain within everyday life while keeping up with tech innovation. Blockchain startups with easier access to the program must be within the following niche:
- Stablecoin solutions for volatile economies (local currency stablecoins, and USDC, USDT, eYuan options)
- On-chain identity
- AI on Chain – Smart Contracts
- Reward Systems (Loyalty points, Cashbacks, and other forms of rewards on-chain)
- Safe self-custodial crypto solutions
- SACCOs (Savings and Credit Co-ops) – Lending, and DAOs on Base
Why Base Chain Matters for African Builders
In previous articles, we’ve touched on Base’s active role in fostering Africa’s Web3 ecosystem. The platform houses various success stories like Swypt, ElementPay and NedaPay, platforms redefining financial inclusion within Africa. These projects, alongside a growing number, utilise Base to provide faster payments to local currencies and even to local stablecoins.
Base gives local blockchain startups a platform to turn ideas into working solutions, creating tools that advance Africa’s digital transformations while preserving our culture and ingenuity. The secret behind the platform’s success and steady growth is Africa’s collaborative spirit. Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Ghana foster a growing developer community that shares knowledge, exchanges ideas and shares skillsets.
CHECK OUT: Inside Base East Africa: Startups Revolutionizing Finance and Legal Tech
Unsung projects like BottleUp, BaseFit, HakiChain, ZeroCard and Data Bud are a few projects within Base showcasing that blockchain goes beyond digital assets, dealing with issues like environment conservation, healthcare, data access and democratising the justice system within Africa.
Underneath the fancy announcements calling blockchain founders, the magic happens within such meet-ups and activities like the Based Founder Fellowship. Beginners always struggle, even founders, and with the recent surge in dreamers and innovators within East Africa’s youth, the program is invaluable, placing a structures path for those who are lost within the complexities of upscaling and funding local blockchain startups.
The September cohort represents a strategic inflection point for ventures ready to transition from local solutions to global impact. The application window closes August 22nd. Your chance to learn from the best Base has to offer is here, and at the heart of Kenya.
