Funding

Grant

Program dates

TBA

Entrepreneurship•Remote

Reckitt Catalyst Accelerator Programme

Reckitt, with Yunus Social Innovation (YSI), Health Innovation Exchange (HIEx) and Acumen America

Application Deadline

August 9, 2026

Official Page

Catalyst is the global social innovation programme of Reckitt, the consumer health and hygiene company behind brands such as Dettol, Durex, Harpic and Lysol. It supports women and underrepresented entrepreneurs building business solutions that widen access to health, hygiene, water and sanitation, and it is delivered with three partners: Yunus Social Innovation, Health Innovation Exchange and Acumen America. Founders stay in their own markets and run their ventures while the programme adds training, mentoring and financing. The 2026-27 cycle takes 20 social innovators from eight countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Since 2020 the programme has backed more than 80 entrepreneurs across 15 countries, and Reckitt has committed up to £10 million over five years toward supporting 200 founders and reaching five million people by 2030.

Benefits & funding

  • Flexible financing of up to USD 30,000 per venture.
  • Targeted training built around the venture’s growth needs.
  • One-to-one mentoring from Reckitt senior leaders, plus Serena Williams, who joined as Entrepreneur-in-Residence in June 2025.
  • Connection to a community of experts across the three delivery partners.
  • Opportunities to engage with government and public health organisations.
  • Through Health Innovation Exchange: investment-readiness and capital pathways, market access and distribution support, visibility with global audiences, and help navigating health systems.
  • The 2026-27 cycle will also explore ways for ventures to work with Reckitt’s major brands.

Eligibility

  • Open to social innovators based, or with operations, in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Pakistan, Indonesia or India.
  • The venture must offer a practical business solution that helps more people access better health, hygiene, water or sanitation.
  • The programme is aimed at women and underrepresented founders; Reckitt states this as the programme’s purpose rather than as a stated bar on who may apply.
  • No degree, age or work-experience requirement is published.
  • Entrepreneurs based in the United States apply on a separate track through Acumen America, reviewed on a rolling basis rather than in this call.

Can you apply?

Worth a closer look

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    Nigeria · Kenya · South Africa · Mexico · Brazil · Pakistan · Indonesia · India

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Application process

  1. 1
    Check the two stated conditions: the venture is based or operating in one of the eight countries, and it works on access to health, hygiene, water or sanitation.
  2. 2
    Prepare a clear account of the venture — the access problem it solves, the business model, traction so far, and what the next stage of growth needs.
  3. 3
    Complete the online application form linked from the Reckitt call page (hosted on Airtable) before the deadline.
  4. 4
    Submit by 9 August 2026; 20 ventures are selected for the 2026-27 cycle.
  5. 5
    US-based founders instead approach the Acumen America track, which reviews applications on a rolling basis.

Program timeline

  1. 16 July 2026

    Applications open for the 2026-27 cycle

  2. Application deadline

    9 August 2026

  3. Accelerator cycle runs; Reckitt has not published its start and end dates

    2026-27

  4. Programme target of 200 supported founders and five million people reached

    By 2030