The Cameroonian government, through the Ministry of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts, has opened applications for the 2026 edition of the Prototype Support Fund, known as Fonds Proto.
The program, implemented by the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Promotion Agency, or APME, is intended to help young innovators and entrepreneurs turn inventions and business ideas into products and enterprises capable of reaching the market. Applications are open from July 20 to August 13, 2026.
Fonds Proto is open to Cameroonians aged between 18 and 35, whether living in the country or abroad, as well as legal entities established under Cameroonian law. Eligible applicants must present an invention, innovation or business concept expected to lead to the creation of an enterprise in Cameroon.
Candidates are required to submit a project summary, market analysis, project study, financing plan and team presentation. Where applicable, they may also provide evidence of participation in coaching or business support programs. Applications can be filed online through APME platforms or submitted in person at the agency’s headquarters in Yaounde and its business creation centres across the country.
According to the ministry, the fund is designed to support the prototyping phase, which allows project promoters to test and refine an initial version of a product or service before commercial launch. Priority will be given to projects in sectors considered capable of driving economic growth and contributing to the objectives of Cameroon’s National Development Strategy 2020-2030, or SND30.
The program also seeks to address some of the main obstacles facing early-stage ventures, particularly limited access to financing and the difficulty of proving the technical and commercial viability of an idea. By supporting prototype development, APME aims to reduce the number of innovative projects abandoned before they reach the market and improve the survival prospects of newly created businesses.
Since its launch in 2020, Fonds Proto has contributed to the creation of more than 40 SMEs, the development of over 40 prototypes and the commercialization of more than 40 innovative products and services, according to program data. It has also supported the granting of more than 30 patents, engaged over 3,000 project promoters across various sectors and distributed more than CFAF 200 million in subsidies through previous editions.
The fund is part of a broader entrepreneurship support framework implemented by APME, alongside programs focused on business creation, youth entrepreneurship and SME development.
Applications for the 2026 edition close on August 13, 2026, at 3:30 p.m.
Mercy Fosoh
