90-Day Programme
A 90-day journey from intention to informed action.
Validate your market and leave with a 90-day action plan. Small cohort, founder-led sessions, real accountability.
Purpose
Why the programme exists.
Ninety days is long enough to test something seriously and short enough to stay focused. The programme exists to convert an intention into an evidenced decision: proceed, adjust, or stop and redirect your energy.
You will work on your own opportunity throughout, not case studies. Sessions are led by founders who have built on the continent, and every phase ends with something written down.
We do not promise funding, guaranteed investment or guaranteed business success.
Who should apply
Eligibility criteria
- You are part of the African diaspora, or you are building into Africa from outside your target market.
- You have an idea, skill, network or capital you want to apply to a specific opportunity.
- You can commit the time the programme requires for its full 90 days.
- You are willing to test assumptions and change direction when the evidence says so.
- You will participate openly in peer sessions and respect other founders' confidentiality.
Commitment
What is expected of you
- Duration
- 90 days
- Weekly time
- Approximately 4–6 hours
- Format
- Virtual sessions, with selected in-person moments
- Cohort size
- Small and curated, roughly 10 aspiring founders
- Assessment
- Application review and a short conversation
- Programme fee
- Available on request
- Application deadline
- Available on request
Programme structure
Five phases across ninety days.
Indicative timeline. Exact session dates are confirmed with each cohort.
- Phase 1
Days 1–15
Clarify
Define the problem, opportunity, customer and founder motivation.
- Phase 2
Days 16–40
Validate
Test assumptions, assess the target market and gather credible evidence.
- Phase 3
Days 41–60
Design
Develop the business model, value proposition and market-entry approach.
- Phase 4
Days 61–75
Connect
Meet relevant founders, experts, partners and ecosystem participants.
- Phase 5
Days 76–90
Commit
Create a practical action plan for the venture's next phase.
What is included
Programme components
- Founder-led masterclasses
- One-to-one and group mentorship
- Market validation
- Peer accountability
- Business model development
- Africa market intelligence
- Trusted introductions
- A practical 90-day action plan
- End-of-programme showcase
Mentorship approach
How mentorship works
Participants are matched with experienced founders based on market, sector and the specific decision they are facing, not on availability alone.
Mentorship runs in three formats: masterclasses for the whole cohort, group sessions where founders work through shared problems, and one-to-one conversations that stay confidential.
Mentors are asked to be candid rather than encouraging. A clear "this will not work, and here is why" is often the most valuable outcome of a session.
Participant outcomes
What you leave with.
- A clearly defined problem, customer and opportunity
- Tested assumptions and credible market evidence
- A business model and market-entry approach
- A practical 90-day action plan for the next phase
FAQs
Questions, answered plainly.
- Is BuildCon a conference?
- No. BuildCon runs conferences and founder conversations, but the centre of the platform is a structured 90-day programme that ends with a practical action plan.
- Do I need a registered company to apply?
- No. You can apply with an idea, a skill, a network or capital you want to deploy. What matters is that you are serious about the next step.
- Do you provide funding or investment?
- No. BuildCon does not promise, provide or guarantee funding. The programme helps you become better prepared, and investors and sponsors are part of the community, but no funding outcome is implied.
- How much time does the programme take?
- Plan for approximately four to six hours a week across masterclasses, mentorship, validation work and peer sessions.
- Where does the programme take place?
- Sessions are primarily virtual so participants across the diaspora can take part, with selected in-person sessions, dinners and country visits.
- Is there a fee?
- Programme fees for the pilot cohort are available on request. Details are confirmed with applicants before any commitment is made.
- What do I leave with?
- A tested set of assumptions, relevant founder and market connections, and a focused 90-day action plan for the next phase of your venture.
- Can I apply if I am already trading in Africa?
- Yes, if you are entering a new market or building a new line of business and need market insight, mentorship and accountability.