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PROGRAM

Enhancing Women Entrepreneurship for Africa


  1. HOME
  2. WHO WE WORK WITH
  3. ENTREPRENEURS
  4. SEEDSTARS PROGRAMS
  5. ENHANCING WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR AFRICA
AFAWA sEEDSTARS Growth Africa

The objective of the Project is to address gender inequality and inclusive economic empowerment for African women. Specifically, the Project aims at increasing the capacity and sustainability of enablers supporting Women-led Small and Medium Enterprises (WSMEs), as well as increase access to mentorship, funding and visibility for WSMEs.

Increased investment readiness through capacity building for WSMEs

Over the past years, many promising entrepreneurship support programs (ESOs) such as incubators, accelerators, university-based innovation hubs, maker spaces, technology parks, and co-working spaces, have been launched across the continent to help build more sustainable and successful startups that are relevant in Africa’s economy. However, these enablers are often limited in the support they are able to provide WSMEs due to lack of funding and network access, and lack of well-positioned services.

We’re looking for Enablers and WSME’s that are operating in at least one of the following countries:

Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Angola, Mali, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Botswana, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Gambia, Namibia, Cape Verde, Mauritius and Nigeria.

Enablers should register if they are:

  • Based in one of the above countries
  • Enhancing the viability and sustainability of WSMEs,
  • Providing innovative approaches to ecosystem support designed to close the financing gap for WSMEs,
  • Introducing innovative ways to provide capacity building for WSMEs,
  • Providing digital presence and visibility to WSMEs,
  • and Enhancing access to mentorship for WSMEs.
APPLY NOW
Enablers
WSME’s

WSME’s should apply if they are:

  • Between Seed and Growth Stage
  • Based in one of the above countries
  • Have at least one woman on the founding team
  • Have a digital element in their product (example: Mobile application, Online Shop, SAAS product, etc.)
APPLY NOW

Timeline

Open Call

1st of December - 31st of December 2022

Sourcing

December 2022

Screening

January 2023

Program Activities

February - May 2023

Investor Forum

June 2023

Project Team

None

SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER AT SEEDSTARS

Adaeze Zita Edokwe

None

MANAGING DIRECTOR SEEDSTARS PROGRAMS

Harald Federspiel

None

PROGRAM MANAGER

Daniella Charles

None

GLOBAL MARKETING PROGRAMS MANAGER

Maria Camila Albornoz

None

INVESTMENT ANALYST

Monica Gomez

None

GLOBAL MEDIA RELATIONS

Michaela Villaroman

About us

AFAWA project

AFAWA project

Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) is a pan-African initiative of the African Development Bank, which aims to reduce the estimated $42 billion financing gap that affects women entrepreneurs in Africa. AFAWA offers a multi-pronged approach to address the constraints women entrepreneurs face in Africa.

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growth africa

Growth Africa

GrowthAfrica is a leading Pan-African accelerator and entrepreneur support organisation (ESO). We scale and support ambitious and impactful entrepreneurs leading growth startups, scalable ventures and expanding SMEs. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Kenya, GrowthAfrica is a leading African impact accelerator and entrepreneur support organisation. Our quest is to develop the continent’s promising ventures and impact enterprises into prosperous members of our societies, creating much-needed job opportunities, economic wealth, and social transformation. We drive investment- and market readiness through cohort-based programmes and tailored support services to increase the rate and scope of success for African entrepreneurs. Since 2002 GrowthAfrica has supported over 1,800 businesses flourish, and run 34 flagship acceleration programmes (+6 currently ongoing) across 6 countries where we have offices and full-time teams.

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Seedstars

Seedstars is a Swiss-based group with the mission to impact people’s lives in emerging markets through technology and entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN. Seedstars connects stakeholders, builds companies from scratch with public and private partners and invests in high-growth ventures within these ecosystems. Seedstars aims at fostering impact investing and impact entrepreneurship over the world. Through different activities, that range from venture scouting, events organization to company building and entrepreneurial education programs.

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