How I Won a Grant With Just an Idea

There's something magical about the moments that change everything.

There's something magical about the moments that change everything, those pivot points that arrive disguised as ordinary days, wearing the clothes of uncertainty and whispering promises we're not sure we deserve to hear.

I want to tell you about one such moment from my own journey, a story that unfolded in the quiet chaos of late 2019, when the world felt suspended and I found myself standing at the edge of something I couldn't yet name.

When Strike Became Opportunity

In late 2019, still an undergraduate, I found myself home from school—not by choice, but because ASUU was once again on strike. The university strike hit like an unwelcome pause button on life. It was one of those moments that forces you to confront your own inertia. I was idle, directionless… but deeply restless.

But something in me refused to accept the pause. Maybe it was restlessness, maybe it was fear of stagnation, or maybe it was that peculiar energy that comes from being young and hungry for something, even when you can't quite name what that something is. I knew I had to do something—anything—to make the time count.

That's when I stumbled across an application for a startup incubation program called AgriLab, organized by Venture Platform in partnership with the Irish Government. It was focused on agritech companies—something I barely understood. In truth, I didn’t understand much about startups at the time.

Here's what I knew then: almost nothing. I had never built a startup. I couldn't tell you much about it even if my life depended on it. I had no prototype, no product, no team. But something about it got me interested. Perhaps it was the promise of growth, of building something meaningful, of turning disruption into opportunity.

But I had resolve. And when you don’t have experience, resolve is a powerful currency. I sat down, brainstormed a problem worth solving, shaped an idea around it, and submitted my application.

The Art of Believing Before Seeing

The application process felt like writing a love letter to a future I couldn't quite visualize. I’ve spent days brainstorming, sketching out an idea that felt both ambitious and terrifying. I filled out the form with the kind of earnest hope that only comes from having nothing to lose and everything to prove.

Few weeks later, I received the email that changed everything: Congratulations. You've been selected. Out of an unknown pool of applicants, only ten of us were chosen. We were invited to Abuja for a one-week bootcamp—a intensive week-long program of classes, mentorship, and pitching, with five winners receiving funding and ongoing support.

I stared at that email for what felt like hours, cycling through disbelief, excitement, and a creeping sense of impostor syndrome. I was the youngest among the ten selected. Everyone else had products, traction, users, revenue streams. I had an idea and an inexplicable conviction that I belonged in that room.

Still, I didn’t hesitate. I said yes and here's where the story could have ended: I had nowhere to stay in Abuja. I knew no one in the city at the time. The practical barriers loomed large, but that didn’t stop me either. I asked around, pulled on every thread. Eventually, someone kind enough opened their home to me for the week.

So, I packed my bags and left.

Growing Into the Space You're Given

The bootcamp was a masterclass in discomfort and discovery. Picture this: a room full of entrepreneurs with laptops, products, and years of experience, and there I was—no laptop, no background, just a notebook and an overwhelming desire to absorb everything I possibly could.

But I showed up with heart.

And heart goes a long way.

In trying to explain my idea/vision to a developer during the program and struggling, that I encountered the world of product design for the first time. That’s how I started learning product design—by necessity. I formed a small team, worked long nights, absorbed every class like my future depended on it (because it did), and I had shaped my idea from a vague concept into something concrete.

And then, I pitched my heart out on the final day.

The Moment Everything Shifted

Standing in front of that panel, I felt the weight of every doubt I'd ever carried about my own readiness. Here I was, the person who had started the week with nothing but an idea, preparing to compete against seasoned entrepreneurs with established products and proven track records.

But something had shifted during those intensive days. I wasn't the same person who had walked into that room a week earlier. I had grown into the space I'd been given. I had learned to speak the language of startups, to think systematically about problems and solutions, to collaborate and iterate and push past the comfort zone I'd once thought defined my limits.

When they announced the winners, when they called my name among the five selected, I felt something I'd never experienced before: the profound realization that readiness isn't a prerequisite for beginning—it's a result of starting.

I was the only one who had begun that program with nothing tangible to show. And yet, there I was, walking away with funding, mentorship, and most importantly, the unshakeable knowledge that I was capable of rising to meet opportunities that initially seemed beyond my reach.

The Ripple Effect of One Yes

Too often, we write ourselves off.

We convince ourselves that we’re not good enough yet. That others are better prepared. That we need to get all our ducks in a row before we apply, before we show up, before we start. But the truth is: You don't need to feel ready. You just need to start.

What followed that week shaped everything that came after. I learned to build platforms, to assemble and lead teams, to collect user feedback and iterate based on real-world data. That single experience became my entry point into the startup ecosystem, the foundation for every entrepreneurial venture that followed.

But the most valuable lesson wasn't technical or strategic—it was personal. I learned that the gap between where we are and where we want to be isn't as wide as we imagine. It's bridged not by being perfectly prepared, but by being willing to begin imperfectly and grow intentionally.

The Courage to Be Unready

The truth is, none of us are ever truly ready for the opportunities that will change our lives. Readiness is a myth, a moving target that retreats as we approach it. There will always be another skill to develop, another qualification to earn, another year of experience to accumulate.

But opportunities have their own timeline. They arrive when they arrive, not when we feel perfectly prepared to receive them. And the people who shape the world, who build meaningful careers and create lasting impact, are often the ones who learned to say yes before they felt ready, who chose growth over comfort, who trusted their ability to figure things out along the way.

This month, I want you to step into that interview.
Apply for that grant.
Send that cold pitch.
Launch that idea.
Ask that question.

Not because you have it all figured out—but because you’re willing to figure it out. This doesn't mean being reckless or unprepared. It means being strategically uncomfortable, willing to stretch beyond current capabilities in service of future potential. It means applying for positions that feel like a reach, proposing ideas that make you nervous, starting conversations that challenge your comfort zone.

When you do step into opportunities that feel bigger than your current skill set, your job isn't to pretend you know everything—it's to learn everything you can. Embrace the beginner's mind. Ask questions that reveal your curiosity rather than hiding your knowledge gaps. Connect with people who can teach you. Consume resources that can accelerate your growth.

Remember: every expert was once a beginner who refused to stay a beginner.

The most successful people I know aren't those who started with the most advantages—they're the ones who developed the strongest learning muscles. They became comfortable with discomfort, skilled at adapting quickly, masterful at turning unfamiliarity into expertise.

This Month’s Challenge

As we step into this new month, I want to challenge you to examine the opportunities currently in your orbit. What applications have you bookmarked but not submitted? What conversations have you been meaning to start? What ideas have you been nurturing in private, waiting for the "right time" to share them?

The right time is now. Not because you're perfectly prepared, but because you're capable of becoming prepared through the process of engaging.

Look for the spaces where you can grow, the challenges that will stretch you, the communities where you can contribute while learning. Don't wait for permission or perfect readiness. Give yourself permission to begin where you are, with what you have, trusting your ability to rise to meet the moment.

You don't have to deserve the opportunity before you pursue it. You just have to be willing to grow into it once you receive it. The world needs what you have to offer, even if—especially if—you're still figuring out exactly what that is. Your unique perspective, your fresh energy, your willingness to learn and adapt—these are assets, not liabilities.

So, stop disqualifying yourself. Stop waiting for perfect readiness. Stop letting fear masquerade as prudence. Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. And then, watch as the path reveals itself beneath your feet, one brave step at a time.

Here's to your unready path and all the magic it holds.

With belief in your journey,

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P.S. I'd love to hear about the opportunities you're pursuing this month. What step are you taking that feels both exciting and terrifying? Share your story—your courage might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.

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