Competition
4YFN27 Awards startup competition
GSMA 4YFN
At a glance
- Deadline
- Closes 26 October 2026, 4 days leftThe posting gives a date, not a time. Days left are counted in Lagos time.
- Fee
- No fee to apply
- Who may apply
- An incorporated, registered digital startup founded September 2019 or later, with a product already on the market
- Based in a country not under US, UK, Swiss or EU trade sanctions (Cuba, Iran and North Korea are excluded)
- Where
- Apply online; finals at 4YFN, Barcelona, 1 to 4 Mar 2027
A digital startup can win 20,000 euros, a stand and a pitch slot at 4YFN in Barcelona in March 2027, with smaller prizes for finalists and the top 20.
The facts
- What you get
- Winner 20,000 euros; 5 finalists 2,500 euros; top 20 1,500 euros, plus passes and exhibition space
- Where
- Apply online; finals at 4YFN, Barcelona, 1 to 4 Mar 2027
- How long
- Applications 1 Sep to 26 Oct 2026
Where you stand
This one is free. There is no fee to apply, and nobody should ask you for money at any point.
What they ask for
- An incorporated, registered digital startup founded September 2019 or later, with a product already on the market
- Based in a country not under US, UK, Swiss or EU trade sanctions (Cuba, Iran and North Korea are excluded)
Get ready to apply
Built only from what this listing states.
A short application, by our reading.
1. What to get ready
The listing does not say what it needs. When you open their page, write down everything it asks for before you start.
2. Dates
- Closes 26 October 2026, in 4 days.
- Aim to send it by 23 October 2026. Websites slow down near a deadline, and data runs out. Our advice
Download checklist (.txt) Send to WhatsApp
The download is a small text file. You can read it later without data. It also lists each condition they set, so you can tick yourself against them. WhatsApp sends the same list to you, or to somebody helping you.
No CV yet? Make a plain one from your answers. Nothing you type is kept.
Tips for applying for a competition
General advice from us, the same for every competition. It is not what this organisation says; that is above.
- Read the rules and the judging criteria first, and write to them.
- Check who owns your work after you enter. The rules usually say.
- Submit a day early. Upload pages are often slow near a deadline.
If there is an interview or a test
- If there is a final or a pitch, practise out loud and time yourself.
All our tips and messages to copy. Practise answering, with nothing kept. Received an offer? Check whether it is real, then read before you say yes.
How to apply
You apply on GSMA 4YFN's own website, not here. We never send an application for anybody and we never ask you for anything to pass on. Check their page for anything not shown here.
More like this, open now
How we checked this
This was opened and verified at GSMA 4YFN's own website on 3 October 2026: it was real, still open, and open to people from African countries. If anything here is wrong, tell us.