Her Startup opens applications for its second cohort of women-led African tech startups

Her Startup opens applications for its second cohort of women-led African tech startups

ABUJA, NIGERIA – October 6, 2026 – Her Startup, an accelerator for women-led technology startups in Africa, today opened applications for its second cohort. The programme is a collaborative initiative spearheaded by KSH Foundation, Tomorrow Foundation and EHA Impact Ventures, with training delivered by Founder Institute.

Despite accounting for 58% of Africa's self-employed population, women founders secured just 0.9% of the more than $2 billion raised by African startups in 2025. Her Startup was created to help change this reality, providing women entrepreneurs with the training, capital, and networks they need to build and grow successful businesses through a single, integrated program.

What selected founders receive

• A 12-week intensive training programme with Founder Institute, the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator, with fees covered by Her Startup.
• A monthly stipend so founders can commit fully to the program.
• An opportunity to pitch to Her Startup's Investment Committee for funding through convertible revenue-based financing.
• 12 months of mentoring matched to the business sector, plus access to Founder Institute's global network.

The second cohort builds on the success of the pilot programme in 2024, which attracted over 200 applications from 18 African countries. Ten founders were selected for training, and three ventures won funding at the programme's Pitch Day in Lagos in April 2025. Participating founders have since won grants and awards, attracted investor interest, and gained wider visibility for their businesses. The programme itself was featured in Business Insider Africa, highlighting its growing role in supporting African women entrepreneurs.

"Since Her Startup, we've seen a steady rise in customer adoption and product sales, as more amputees experience the comfort and mobility that Dynalimb's affordable 3D-printed prosthetics provide," said Blessing Aniefiok, COO of Dynalimb Technologies and 2024 Her Startup Associate.

With the second cohort, the partners aim to build on the pilot and reach more women founders across the continent.

"Together, we can create a thriving ecosystem where women entrepreneurs are empowered to lead, innovate and succeed. I look forward to the incredible impact Her Startup will have, not just in Nigeria, but across Africa and around the world," said Khalil Halilu, Co-founder of Her Startup and Founder of KSH Foundation.

For Tomorrow Foundation, Her Startup is about more than closing a funding gap: it is about women leading the future.

"For thousands of years, physical strength and traditional structures of power placed women at a disadvantage in shaping economies and societies. Human progress and technological development have gradually changed that equation. Today, intelligence, creativity and judgment can be amplified as never before, opening a historic opportunity for women - not merely to participate in the future, but to stand at the forefront and help lead it. That is the deeper purpose of Her Startup," said Maggie Gu, Co-founder of Her Startup and President of Tomorrow Foundation.

The way founders are funded sets the programme apart. Her Startup provides convertible, revenue-based financing, with repayments linked to each company's revenue.

"It's not enough to just give these companies financing. It's about giving them financing that will truly help them succeed. We chose a convertible, revenue-based loan, an innovative financing mechanism that is just starting to enter the market. It is incredibly founder-friendly, and it will help the women in this programme succeed," said Evelyn Castle, Co-founder of Her Startup and Co-founder of EHA Impact Ventures.

How to apply

Applications are open to women founders or CEOs who:

• are aged 18–35
• run a tech-enabled business
• have been operating for at least six months
• generate at least $500 in monthly gross revenue

Founders from Francophone Africa are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applications close on 26th October, 2026. Full eligibility criteria, programme details and the application form are available at https://her-startup.com/ . Online information sessions will be held in the coming weeks; please follow our social media and check our website for updates.

About Her Startup: Her Startup is an accelerator for women-led technology startups in Africa. It combines Founder Institute training, startup capital through convertible, revenue-based financing, and six months of mentoring. The program is a partnership between KSH Foundation, Tomorrow Foundation and EHA Impact Ventures.

About KSH Foundation: KSH Foundation is a non-profit organisation supporting young Nigerians in entrepreneurship and technology. Through learning, mentorship, technical support and access to funding, it helps young people build themselves and contribute to Nigeria's development, with a strong emphasis on supporting women.

About Tomorrow Foundation: Tomorrow Foundation is a Swiss charitable foundation based in Geneva, supervised by the Swiss Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations. It advances education, digital inclusion and entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on Africa and the Middle East. Since inception, its programmes and partnerships have trained more than 7,000 students in entrepreneurship and reached over 30,000 digital learners across 10+ countries. Initiatives include 100 Million Learners, JA DEEP and Her Startup, alongside its AI for All vision for inclusive, human-centred AI development.

About EHA Impact Ventures: EHA Impact Ventures (EIV) is a gender-lens impact investing firm under The EHA Group, backing women-led businesses building innovative health, nutrition, and livelihoods solutions across Africa. Through flexible capital, founder-first support, and access to networks, EIV helps founders scale businesses that create measurable social impact while building sustainable enterprises.

Media contact: Her Startup Team · info@her-startup.com