Her Startup is a program designed as a response to the challenges faced by female founders in the entrepreneurial landscape.
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The objective of the program is to provide guidance and invest in African Women-led early-stage companies with high growth potential in emerging industries.
The Program can be divided in four main steps
The selection will be done based on Her Startup and Founder's Institute criteria. These criteria include:
The applicants selected will perform an intensive 4-month training from the Founder's Institute accelerator program.
Costs of the training will be covered by the program and founders will receive an allowance in stages during the training.
The applicants who successfully complete the training will get a certificate and will be eligible to apply for funding.
The remaining start-ups will pitch their business model to the program Investment Committee to obtain a funding of 5,000 USD in average.
The funding will be a convertible revenue based financing.
The funded start-ups will be provided a 1 year mentoring from seasoned entrepreneurs and experts with monthly meetings and ad hoc requests.
Boost women's confidence and ability to grow their start-up through targeted skills development and access to financing.
Her Startup is a unique combination of training, funding, and mentoring.
A 14-week intensive training program for participating female entrepreneurs facilitated by the Founder Institute (FI). Renowned as one of the world’s largest pre-seed accelerator programs, FI is adept at transforming ideas into fundable startups and startups into global businesses.
Successful graduates of the FI accelerator program will pitch to an investment committee for seed financing of up to $5,000.
Founders will receive comprehensive support for continued success. This includes 6 months of mentorship, access to co-working space, and healthcare coverage for 1 year. Based on performance, graduates will receive support for additional capital raise.
Blessing Aniefiok is a visionary leader and operations expert, driving growth and accessibility at Dynalimb Technologies. Dynalimb Technologies is a healthcare startup that is passionate about providing innovative prosthetic and orthotic solutions for persons living with disabilities and amputations, leveraging the use of 3D Technology. As Co-Founder of Dynalimb Technologies, I focus on operational excellence, ensuring seamless delivery of prosthetic and orthotic solutions for persons living with disabilities.
Blessing Aniefiok FounderOlapeju Nwanganga is the founder of Ploutos Page, a startup that provides bookkeeping services and software solutions. Our platform allows businesses to generate audited accounts within seven days, helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria efficiently manage their financial records. With a focus on simplifying bookkeeping, we aim to streamline accounting processes for businesses, ensuring compliance and transparency while saving time and costs for our clients. We leverage cutting-edge technology to provide fast, reliable, and accessible financial solutions.
Olapeju NwangangaFounderWheapadu Emmanuel is a web developer with over 3 years of experience in solving design-related problems and creating responsive designs for different businesses/screens. Eki Technologies aims to revolutionise the African creator economy by providing a comprehensive solution that empowers young African creators. Eki offers support from training and growth to discovery and monetisation, ensuring visibility and opportunities that transform creativity into sustainable careers while serving as a strategic marketing partner for brands.
Wheapadu Emmanuel FounderNgozi Nwabueze, Esq., fondly known as the ‘Mother-In-LAW’ of Businesses, is a vibrant, forward-thinking Legal Practitioner. She is the CEO/Founder of PocketLawyers.io, an innovative all-in-one legal tech infrastructure helping Lawyers digitize their practise. With her passion for empowering Lawyers, improving access to justice and commitment to social impact, drawing from her extensive experience in both law and technology, Ngozi identified the challenges faced by Lawyers in traditional legal practices and recognised the potential of technology to address these challenges.
Ngozi NwabuezeFounderMaryjane Kalunta is the co-founder of Craftoor, where she leverages her extensive experience in business development and educational program management to empower artisans and creatives. With a Master’s degree in Environmental Management and a solid academic foundation in Geography Education from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Maryjane has developed a deep understanding of sustainable growth and community upliftment through entrepreneurship. Her professional background includes six years in educational program development and management, along with expertise in curriculum design and adult learning methodologies. Maryjane has worked closely with rural artisans, helping them enhance their craft and expand their market reach.
Maryjane KaluntaFounderEucheria Luke is an expert in design thinking, idea development, branding, strategic planning, and product development. Her business, Eucheria Hub, is an IT firm that offers brand and business designs and IT project management. Enterprise Suite is an AI-powered application increasing entrepreneurial success by providing business tools, business GPT, professional services firms, and a KYC account system.
Eucheria LukeFouderAdventina Emmanuel Grevas is a visionary leader passionate about promoting climate-smart agriculture and sustainable entrepreneurship. As the founder and CEO of Vatten Enterprises, she spearheads innovative solutions in agricultural technology, emphasising water management and resource efficiency. Adventina’s commitment to sustainability and technological advancement empowers farmers to adopt resilient, data-driven practices that enhance productivity while fostering environmental stewardship.
Adventina Emmanuel Grevas Founder
MENTOR
I hold a master’s degree in information communication technology and have worked with tech hubs training over 35 Startups with amazing milestones. Throughout his career, he has been a driving force in the development of the technology ecosystem. He has dedicated himself to fostering strong relationships with key stakeholders in both the private and public sectors, working tirelessly to create a dynamic and thriving tech community in his region. In his journey he has developed passion for technologies and some of his meaningful achievements are winning two Hackathon events, organizing over 10 tech events with over 5000+ people in attendance. These achievements relate to his future goals of having tech solutions and impact driven lifestyles.
MENTOR
Aida Isah El-Hassan is a vibrant individual from Kano state where her passion for making an impact and merging creativity with technology blossomed. Professionally, she navigates through the management realm, reveling in devising innovative strategies to unite brands with their audience. She is a nature lover and finds solace in appreciating the beauty of nature, capturing beautiful moments. Engaging in social causes fuels her purpose, and she actively volunteers for mentorship, educational and impactful initiatives. She has mentored over 500 youths in the tech and entrepreneurship ecosystem. She is open to connecting with like-minded individuals to collaborate on exciting ventures.
MENTOR
Bobai brings over a decade of expertise in Nigeria’s dynamic Media & Entertainment sphere, excelling as a Broadcaster and DJ. With a profound understanding of music, film, digital media, and Africa’s burgeoning creator economy, Bobai has collaborated with industry luminaries, spanning from music icon Burna Boy to acclaimed travel YouTuber Tayo Aina. This journey has inspired the inception of TIMA, an agency committed to empowering African creators towards sustainable livelihoods and one of Business Insider's top BIPOC-lead Influencer companies. At TIMA, the focus is on furnishing creators with cutting-edge business solutions, leveraging data and technology to unlock their full audience potential. Whether forging partnerships with brands or facilitating funding for their visionary endeavors, TIMA stands as a steadfast ally in nurturing Africa's creative talent.
Tomorrow Foundation is a Swiss charity foundation based in Geneva aiming at supporting international cooperation, fairer economic policies, and improving living conditions through technology and skills development in Africa. The Foundation believes that learning by doing, empowerment, autonomy, and collaboration have greater effectiveness than traditional assistance through funding or turnkey solutions.
Khalil Suleiman Halilu Foundation is a nonprofit organization supporting young Nigerians in entrepreneurship and technology, founded by Khalil Halilu, the Executive Vice-chairman and CEO of NASENI. They provide enablers in the form of mentorship, technical/intrapersonal assistance, and funding to young Nigerians who are driven to innovation in tech-related fields whilst helping create products and services with significant impact on development in Nigeria. While the foundation believes in equity, it is also aware of the social challenges faced by women and as such focuses most of its program, particularly on women.
eha Impact Ventures is a philanthropic impact investing enterprise that supports early stage, high-impact, female-led businesses in Africa. Unlike traditional business financing, we offer flexible and innovative financing paired with high-quality, local, shared business resources to ensure business growth and success. Their vision is To improve the wealth and health of African women, their families, and communities.
To apply for HER STARTUP, you must meet all of the following criteria:
Her Startup is a pan-African accelerator supporting female founders with training, funding, mentorship, and wellness services. With 200+ applications from 18 countries, it aims to help women scale businesses, attract investment, create jobs, and drive innovation across Africa.
HerStartup is empowering women in Nigeria’s tech and business sectors through practical training, funding, mentorship, healthcare, and access to collaborative spaces. The initiative supports female-led startups solving real-world challenges while promoting financial independence, innovation, job creation, and broader economic growth.
Her Startup’s inaugural pitch programme saw three female entrepreneurs receive $5,000 each in convertible financing and a year of mentorship. The initiative aims to help women-led businesses scale sustainably, attract investment, and contribute to economic growth across Africa.
HerStartup is a new initiative supporting female tech entrepreneurs across Nigeria and Africa through training, mentorship, and funding. Launched by KSH Foundation, Tomorrow Foundation, and eha Impact Ventures, it aims to help women build scalable businesses, drive innovation, create jobs, and contribute to economic growth.
Her Startup is open to young female founders, co-founders or CEOs aged 18-35 who lead tech-enabled startups across Africa who meet the programme's eligibility requirements.
The programme is open to female founders from across Africa. Eligible founders from any African country are encouraged to apply.
Up to 10 founders will be selected to participate in the programme.
Applicants should have a minimum viable product (MVP) or an existing product on the market and have generated at least US$500 in monthly revenue for at least 6 months.
The programme includes mentorship, networking and investor readiness opportunities and a 14-week accelerator program through the Founder Institute.
From selection onward, participants should expect to dedicate several hours each week to onboarding, training sessions, and mentorship meetings. During the 12-week Founder Institute accelerator programme, participants should expect to dedicate at least 20 hours per week to programme activities.
Yes. Her Startup is designed for founders who are actively building their businesses. However, participants are expected to commit sufficient time to fully engage with the programme and complete all required activities.
Only one representative per startup will participate in the programme unless otherwise communicated by the programme team.
There is no application fee. Participation costs and a stipend for selected founders are covered by the programme.
Participation in the programme does not automatically guarantee funding. Selected founders will have the opportunity to pitch for investment support.
Applications are reviewed against the programme's eligibility requirements and assessed through a structured selection process to identify founders with strong potential to benefit from the programme.
Yes. Every selected founder will be matched with experienced mentors who will provide guidance and support throughout the programme.
Due to the competitive nature of the programme, not all eligible applicants will be selected. Unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to apply for future cohorts if they continue to meet the eligibility requirements.
Updates about Her Startup, including application deadlines and programme announcements, will be shared through the official Her Startup website and social media channels. If you have additional questions, you can contact the programme team using the contact details provided on the website.