Village Capital Sage Impact Entrepreneurship Program 2026

🌍 About the Program

The Village Capital Sage Impact Entrepreneurship Program focuses on fostering a community of visionary leaders who can drive systemic change through innovation and collaboration.

🎁 Benefits

Participants in the program will receive the following benefits:

• Invitation to participate in mock board meetings with representatives from relevant institutions, corporations, and investors to help scale their solutions and startups.
• Four interactive workshops tailored to help startups identify early milestones and prepare for the next round of capital (if relevant).
• One-to-one coaching with an investment analyst to build a financial model, identify unit economics, and use financial metrics to drive business and investor diligence.
• Startups in the Core Cohort will receive:
  • USD 10K in grant capital for milestone support.
  • At the end of the program, two peer-selected startups will receive additional grant capital:
    • USD 50K for the top-ranked startup.
    • USD 25K for the second highest-ranked startup.
• Opportunities to meet and receive mentorship from potential strategic partners, customers, other founders, and mentors within the climate and sustainability space.
• Networking and mentorship opportunities with prominent US investors and business leaders.
• A stipend to cover travel-related expenses for one team member attending the Program Summit in London, UK.
• Access to a community of support and a suite of investment-readiness resources, including:
  • A curated digital platform.
  • Asynchronous tools.
  • Visibility through Village Capital’s website and social channels.
• Exposure to Village Capital’s program website and other communications collateral for both Core and Community cohorts.
• Two years of post-program support to enhance impact and scale solutions.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Eligible startups must meet the following requirements:

1. Legal Incorporation:
   • Must be a for-profit entity, including B Corp-certified companies.
2. Location:
   • Headquartered or operating in France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, or the UK.
   • Preference for companies near Sage’s offices in Newcastle, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Barcelona, or Lisbon.
3. Focus Areas:
   • Market-based solutions tackling the following verticals:
     • Clean Energy Transition
     • Biodiversity and Nature-Based Solutions
     • Smart Mobility and Sustainable Infrastructure
     • Sustainable Supply Chain and Manufacturing
     • Circular Resource Solutions
     • Climate-Resilient Health and Wellness
     • Disaster-Resilient Housing and Community Planning
     • Climate Finance and Insurance Innovation
     • Environmental Justice and Social Equity
     • Data Analytics and Climate Intelligence
     • Green and Inclusive Economy and Job Growth
     • Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems
4. Minimum Viable Product (MVP):
   • Must have an MVP and have raised less than USD 1.5M in equity.
5. Team:
   • At least one full-time founder based in France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, or the UK.
6. Validation:
   • Must demonstrate meaningful customer or business validation, such as:
     • Revenue
     • Successful pilot studies
     • User numbers
     • Strategic partnerships

📅 Application Date and Process

• Application Deadline: 05 January, 2026
• To apply, visit the official application portal: Village Capital Sage Impact Entrepreneurship Program.

🌐 Contact Information

For more details, visit the Village Capital Sage Impact Entrepreneurship Program.

This program is a unique opportunity for startups to gain financial support, mentorship, and resources to scale their solutions and drive systemic change. Apply now to be part of this transformative initiative!

• An invitation to participate in mock board meetings with representatives from relevant institutions, corporations, and investors that can help scale their solutions and startups.
• Four interactive workshops tailored to help their startup identify early milestones and prepare them for the next round of capital (if relevant).
• Access to one-to-one coaching with an investment analyst focused on building a financial model, identifying unit economics, and using financial metrics to drive their business and investor diligence.
• All startups from the Core Cohort will receive USD 10K in grant capital for milestone support. At the end of the program, two peer-selected startups from the Core Cohort will receive additional grant capital of USD 50K for the top-ranked startup and USD 25K for the second highest-ranked startup.
• Ability to meet with and receive mentorship from potential strategic partners, customers, and other founders, as well as mentors and founders within the climate and sustainability space.
• Ability to network and receive mentorship from prominent US investors and business leaders.
• Receive a stipend to cover travel-related expenses for one team member associated with the Program Summit in London, UK.
• Join a community of support and a suite of investment-readiness resources, including a curated digital platform, asynchronous tools, and visibility through Village Capital’s website and social channels.
• The Core and Community cohorts will benefit from exposure to Village Capital’s program website and other communications collateral.
• All participating startups will receive two years of post-program support to enhance their impact and scale their solutions.