In Sub-Saharan Africa, 10-12 million young people enter the labor market annually, yet only 3 million formal jobs are created. Meanwhile, Europe and the Gulf face acute shortages in hospitality, construction, and healthcare. The mismatch is clear: African talent is ready, global demand is rising, but the systems connecting them remain broken, risky and underinvested.
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When migration works, the impact is extraordinary. A single move from a low-income to a high-income country can increase incomes by 400 to over 1,000% within one year. And contrary to “brain drain” fears, the evidence shows migration can multiply skilled workers.
Labor mobility represents one of the most powerful poverty-reduction tools available. Yet it remains dangerously under-served by responsible technology solutions. Africa’s youth employment crisis needs to meet the world’s labor shortage.
The startup technology platforms connecting these dots stand to reshape millions of lives.
$30,000 for African Labor Mobility Startups
Cross Border Jobs Startup Competition is offering $10,000 grants for 3 winners and up to $200,000 in tech perks to build safer pathways for African workers to move, connect, and thrive across borders. Startups that:
- Facilitate worker mobility across African or global borders through recruitment, placement, or service management
- Offer enabling services for migrants (finance, language training, compliance, housing)
- Expand existing jobtech solutions into labor mobility
Registered startup companies building cross-border labor mobility solutions for Africans should apply. You can be operating between African countries or globally. Applicants must demonstrate commitment to responsible and professional labor migration principles and have some evidence of traction.
Selection criteria emphasize impact potential (scale and depth), business model viability, innovation in addressing sector challenges, and safeguarding considerations throughout.
Apply now! Deadline is October 31, 2025.
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