The program's core objective is to find and support young innovators creating an African narrative for sustainability, and submissions must align with one of four specified thematic tracks. Applications will be judged on innovation, impact, feasibility, scalability, and alignment with the challenge’s mission and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The judging process will be conducted by an expert panel chosen by MK-Africa, who will evaluate all eligible applications based on a specific set of criteria. The first criterion is Innovation, which assesses the novelty, creativity, and uniqueness of the proposed solution. Next, Impact will be judged based on the project’s potential to create significant and positive social or environmental change and its ability to transform ideas into tangible results. Feasibility focuses on the technical and operational viability of the project. The panel will also consider Scalability, which is the project's potential to grow and be replicated across entire sectors. Finally, Alignment will measure how well the project aligns with the Challenge's overall mission of creating an African narrative for sustainability and its connection to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Prizes for Finalists: Finalists will be granted a spot in an exclusive mentorship and training program. This program will focus on key areas, including design thinking, to help them further develop their projects.

Prizes for Winners: Winners will receive a combination of several benefits designed to help them scale their innovations. This includes seed funding, with the exact amount to be disclosed later to the finalists. Additionally, they will receive ongoing mentorship and networking opportunities. The prize is non-transferable and must be used solely for the development of the winning project.

The challenge is open to young innovators who are citizens of an African country, between 18 and 35 years old, with a project designed for implementation in Africa. Projects must be at an early stage of development. The application period runs from August 1, 2025, to October 15, 2025, with the grand finale scheduled for May 2026. An expert panel will be responsible for judging the applications.

While applicants will retain full ownership of their intellectual property, they will grant MK-Africa and its partners a non-exclusive license to use summaries of their applications for promotional purposes. Finalists selected for the program will receive mentorship and training. Winners will be awarded seed funding, ongoing mentorship, and networking opportunities. The governing law for the terms and conditions is the Republic of Kenya.

MK-Africa holds the right to disqualify any application that does not adhere to the official terms and conditions or is considered inappropriate. The decisions made by the judging panel are final and binding on all applicants. Furthermore, MK-Africa and its partners are not responsible or liable for any costs that applicants may incur during the application process. They are also not liable for any loss or damage to the materials submitted in the application.

For more information, visit #MyLittleBigThing.