The Youth Adaptation Solutions Challenge is an annual competition and awards program for youth-led enterprises (50% women-led) organized by GCA and AfDB as part of the Youth Adapt Flagship Program. 

The competition invites young entrepreneurs and Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in Africa to submit innovative solutions on climate adaptation and resilience. The winners will be part of a 1-year incubator program, which will provide tailored training on business development and adaptation, coaching, networking opportunities, and grants to enable the youth-led enterprises to scale up their innovative businesses and build resilience among marginalized communities in Africa

The objective of the project is to deliver business development services (BDS) to and build the institutional capacity of youth-led enterprises, positioning them to effectively utilize grants offered and to also mobilize additional private capital, scale up climate action and create employment opportunities on the continent.

• Build youth capacity for employability and unlocking access to finance
• Deliver a 1-year incubator program tailored training on business development and adaptation
• Provide coaching and networking opportunities
• Equip young innovators and MSMEs with customized skills and resources to scale up climate adaptation innovations and boost the creation of jobs

• Grant disbursement to the 5 winners of the YouthADAPT winners
• 12-weeks training with practical skills in entrepreneurship and business development and climate adaptation
• Mentorship to enable the winners to execute their business plans, create jobs, and support the continental effort towards climate resilience
• Training materials developed and training workshops  delivered tailored to the selected youth-led start-ups
• Support to the youth led-businesses to develop and implement their business plans and to mainstream adaptation and climate resilience in their businesses

• Delivered business development services (BDS) to and building the institutional capacity of youth-led enterprises
• Youth-led enterprises positioned to effectively utilize grants offered and to also mobilize additional private capital
• Scaled up climate action and  ability create employment opportunities on the continent