Prime Highlights-
- Her Startup opens applications for its second cohort, backing 10 early-stage African women founders with training, stipends and funding access.
- The accelerator, backed by KSH Foundation, Tomorrow Foundation and EHA Impact Ventures, builds investment-ready businesses led by women across Africa.
Key Facts-
- Founder Institute delivers 12 weeks of training, with fees covered, plus 12 months of sector-matched mentoring.
- Her Startup funding arrives as convertible, revenue-based financing with repayments tied to each company’s revenue.
Background-
Her Startup has opened applications for the second cohort of its accelerator for women-led tech startups across Africa. The program will select 10 early-stage women founders and offer training, a monthly stipend and a chance at funding.
KSH Foundation, Tomorrow Foundation and EHA Impact Ventures back the accelerator, and US-based pre-seed accelerator Founder Institute delivers the training.
Women make up 58 percent of Africa’s self-employed population, and the program aims to lift their share of the more than $2 billion African startups raised.
Selected founders will complete 12 weeks of Founder Institute training with fees covered and get a monthly stipend to work on the program full time. They will receive 12 months of sector-matched mentoring and can pitch to the Her Startup investment committee.
Funding comes as convertible, revenue-based financing, with repayments tied to each company’s revenue. Evelyn Castle, who co-founded Her Startup and EHA Impact Ventures, said the model gives founders financing built to help their businesses grow.
Applicants must be women founders or CEOs aged 18 to 35 running a tech-enabled business with at least six months of operations and $500 in monthly gross revenue. The program encourages Francophone African founders to apply.
The pilot cohort drew more than 200 applications from 18 African countries, trained 10 founders and helped three ventures win funding at a pitch day in Lagos. Blessing Aniefiok, chief operating officer of Dynalimb Technologies, said the program helped lift customer adoption and sales.
