Idea Forge is Phase I of the Freedom Forge Africa Prosper Lab Prize Challenge. Its goal is straightforward: award cash prizes to as many strong white paper submissions as possible, lowering barriers to entry and surfacing the widest range of innovative solutions to Africa's most critical security and economic challenges.
Every qualifying submission from a combined U.S. and African team stands a real chance to win. Allied nation partners are welcome to join as additional co-team members. This is not a tournament where one winner takes all. It is a broad-based innovation sourcing campaign designed to build a foundation of teams and concepts that can be forged into real ventures.
Assemble a co-founding or co-authoring team with at least one U.S. citizen or business and at least one African citizen or business. Allied nation partners are welcome to join the team. No existing company required, just a credible team with a real idea.
Submit your Business Solution Paper through the Pro-Forma platform during the July 2026 window. All rounds are fully virtual and asynchronous, no travel, no live presentation. Takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.
A panel of military operators, investors, and domain experts evaluates each submission using structured scoring rubrics. Every finalist receives actionable written feedback, win or lose. Top teams are invited to Phase II and beyond.
A voluntary consortium of innovation enablers from industry has come together to pilot the inaugural Prosper Lab Prize Challenge, a ground-floor initiative in support of a future Freedom Forge Africa Prosper Lab.
These challenges are industry-led and government-informed, designed to rapidly form and launch self-sustaining co-innovation and co-investment ecosystems across Africa. They need sponsors and domain expertise to underwrite their successful execution.
Joining as a sponsor is a rare opportunity to shape the inaugural challenge, connect with the next generation of U.S. and African innovators, and help build a more secure and prosperous future for Africa, the U.S., and our allies.
A Business Solution Paper is a concise written submission, not a pitch deck, not a prototype. You describe the problem, your proposed solution, the team, and a high-level path to execution. Think of it as the seed of a business plan: sharp, credible, and executable.
Submissions are evaluated on problem clarity, solution viability, team credibility, and commercial potential. Every submission must represent a real, investable business concept, not an academic paper or nonprofit proposal. All evaluations are conducted by military operators, investors, and domain experts via Pro-Forma's structured scoring system.
There is one core eligibility requirement. Teams from anywhere in the world may submit, provided this structure is met. Allied nation partners are welcome to join as additional co-team members.
Traditional due diligence and prize challenge formats consistently fail the best founders in three predictable ways.
Pro-Forma replaces unstructured due diligence with a repeatable, scalable system that surfaces the best business, not the best presenter, and delivers real strategic value to every participant.
Three prize challenges. Three different sectors. The same outcome: more submissions evaluated, more value delivered to every participant, stronger deal flow for investors.
Not a grant. Not aid. A real cash prize for your best co-innovation solution paper. Paper submissions open July 2026.
Submissions open July 2026. Drop your email and we'll notify you the moment the window goes live, plus send you the full challenge brief and eligibility checklist.