She Wins Africa represents IFC’s ongoing commitment to promoting gender equality and empowering women entrepreneurs in emerging markets.
The 100 participants were chosen from a highly competitive pool of nearly 3,000 applicants.
These women entrepreneurs represent diverse sectors, encompassing fields like agriculture technology, climate technology, e-commerce, education technology, healthcare technology, and financial technology.
Beyond supporting the chosen 100 participants, She Wins Africa will launch additional initiatives:
– Bootcamp for pre-seed startups: This program will help 200 pre-seed women-led startups reach the acceleration phase.
– Expanding access to acceleration: This initiative aims to connect an additional 200 women-led startups with acceleration support in underserved regions.
– Building a coalition of investors: This program seeks to create collaboration among funds, venture capital firms, and gender-lens investors to improve access to finance for women-owned businesses across Africa.
“IFC’s She Wins Africa empowers women entrepreneurs through coaching, training, and financing, accelerating their growth and investment readiness throughout sub-Saharan Africa,” said Nathalie Akon Gabala, IFC’s Director of Gender and Economic Inclusion.
The startup funding landscape in Africa in 2023 was a mixed bag of encouraging growth and cautious optimism amidst global economic headwinds.
Waspito, a Cameroonian health startup pioneering telemedicine services, has successfully raised a $2.5 million seed extension in a funding round led by DP World.
Nairobi-based Purple Elephant Ventures (PEV), a startup studio focused on tourism, has secured an extra $500,000 to boost its seed funding round to $5 million.
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