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Female Tech Empowerment: Tech By Her Accelerator 

Empowering Female Tech Founders

Deadline
Mar 13Mar 15 – 9:00 – May 31 – 18:00

Adtech, Agritech, Artificial intelligence, Big data, Blockchain, Clean technology and energy, Cloud solutions, Computer software, Connectivity, E-commerce, E-learning, E-sports, Fintech, Green transportation and electric motors, ICT, Information technology, Internet, Internet-of-things, Machine learning, Mobile, Nanotech, New media, Online analytics, Online payment processing, Quantum computing, Smart city solutions, Software as a Service, UAVs (drones), Virtual reality, Water, sanitation and hygiene

ABOUT

Sub-Saharan Africa boasts the highest growth rate of female-run businesses in the world, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Women’s Report (2019). However, female entrepreneurs, specifically in the Tech space, continue to face daunting challenges such as restrictive social norms, limited access to funding, and working within male-dominated industries which limits their potential.

Are you a female entrepreneur facing similar challenges and looking for an opportunity to grow and scale your business? Do you desire training, ecosystem support, resources, a dedicated business coach, and access to industry leaders? Would you like to connect with other female founders in the tech ecosystem, share learnings and experiences, and expand your Pan-African networks? Are you looking for a way to make an impact in your community?

The Tech By Her Accelerator is supporting burgeoning female-led tech ventures in becoming globally competitive and sustainable brands. It is powered by MEST with support from the Tech Entrepreneurship Initiative, ‘Make-IT in Africa’, (implemented by Deutsche für Gesellschaft Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The purpose of the Tech By Her Accelerator program is to develop a strong Pan African female entrepreneurship community. We’re achieving this by mentoring female founders and building an alumni network of successful Tech By Her Accelerator participants who become ambassadors for other upcoming founders.

About the Program

Being a successful tech entrepreneur in Africa can be an incredibly challenging and demanding feat for anyone. Female tech entrepreneurs are even more disadvantaged, due to the societal pressures and demands on African women, compounded with less access to networks than men have and the incorrect assumption that women are not skilled in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

The Tech By Her Accelerator will address the unique challenges of the female tech entrepreneur. It is a 3-month industry-agnostic program for ten (10) female founders of early-stage tech companies in Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria. The program aims at fueling growth among female-led businesses by recognizing and maximizing the unique strengths of the female entrepreneur and equipping them with the needed knowledge, tools, and resources to scale and sustain their businesses in a competitive environment.

The Tech By Her Accelerator kicks off with a virtual interactive session, introducing fellows to their mentors and orienting participants on what they can expect from the program.

After the orientation, the selected participants of the Tech By Her Accelerator program (founders) will meet in Accra, Ghana for a ten-day immersion bootcamp, all expenses paid. The cohort will interact and deep dive into specific business verticals for growth, scalability, and sustainability, led by industry leaders and mentors who understand the technology industry and can provide valuable insight into each unique business.

Following the bootcamp, participants will return to their home countries where they will organize a community-building event for females in the tech space. They will work with the local MEST teams to put this together. They’ll also continue the mentoring programme virtually, meeting at least once a month with their mentors.

The accelerator program culminates with a five day all expenses paid meetup in Accra, Ghana. The founders will receive hands-on training, mentoring, and access to industry leaders who will share their experiences and expertise from across the continent. The founders will also have the opportunity to pitch in front of a panel of investors.

Through the program, participants will gain skills to take their businesses to the next level, be provided space and opportunity to tell their stories and position themselves as champions for Pan-African Tech By Her Accelerator.

Application and Details HERE