A cryptocurrency payment infrastructure startup, Breet, recently announced a $10,000 equity-free grant programme for African fintech, crypto, stablecoin, and payments builders ahead of Africa Technology Expo (ATE) 2026, set to hold on the 26th-27th of June in Lagos, Nigeria.
This comes at a critical moment for African founders. After years of abundant venture funding and aggressive expansion, capital has become more selective. Investors are increasingly prioritising sustainable unit economics, compliance readiness, stronger governance, and products solving measurable customer problems.
That shift has left many growth-stage startups in a difficult situations too advanced for idea-stage funding, and not yet large enough to command significant institutional funding.
Breet’s newly introduced programme appears designed to address that gap.
They don’t just give out capital alone, the grant involves three layers of support: equity-free funding, infrastructure access, and market visibility. Selected startups will be given the opportunity to pitch before investors, enterprise executives, and ecosystem stakeholders at Africa Technology Expo which will be held at the National Theatre, Lagos.
According to the Chief operational officer of Breet; “Founders today need more than funding. They need infrastructure that works, faster routes to market, and access to the right commercial networks. That is the thinking behind this grant,”
The company says a major component of the initiative is access to Breet’s API, allowing businesses to embed crypto and payment functionality directly into their products. For founders building in cross-border commerce, remittances, treasury management, merchant tools, or digital finance, infrastructure partnerships can often be more valuable than cash grants.
Breet has processed over 5 million transactions and converted billions in fiat, positioning the company as a leading infrastructure layer for seamless crypto-to-fiat payments across Africa. It offers businesses a unified integration point for crypto wallets, payments, automated conversions, and same-day bank settlement.
Eligibility
Applicants are expected to meet the following criteria:
- Must be building in fintech, crypto, stablecoins, or payments
- Product must have already been launched or in active market use
- Clear growth potential and commercial use case
- Readiness to integrate Breet’s API
- Availability to pitch at Africa Technology Expo 2026
The grant comes at a time when startup founders across Africa are facing tougher funding conditions and stronger demands for sustainable business models.
Africa Technology Expo, now in its third edition, will host over 7,000 participants from over 15 countries, including investors, senior executives, policymakers, and corporate leaders.
