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The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) in collaboration with Nedbank is hosting the fourth cohort of its flagship AWIEF Growth Accelerator.
Access to finance is the most cited challenge to the growth of women-owned businesses in Africa.
Bankability and investment readiness are major impediments to attracting business finance.
The AWIEF Growth Accelerator is designed to support the unique needs of early-stage and high growth-oriented women-led ventures with business modelling, growth strategy training, corporate advisory, mentorship, networks, and access to strategic partnerships.
The accelerator provides capital-raising support for growth, scale and sustainability. It builds women’s entrepreneurial leadership capacity, connects them with appropriate sources of capital and helps them scale.
Since 2017, more than 100 early-growth-stage women founders have gone through the accelerator programme. For the 2021 cohort, 20 female entrepreneurs will be selected from sectors including: technology, agribusiness, financial services, manufacturing, health, education, tourism & hospitality, creative industries, and renewable energy.
Benefits of the program
Joining the AWIEF Growth Accelerator cohort, participants will be offered:
- Three two-day bootcamps
- Masterclasses with international expert-led sessions covering all scaling fundamentals
- One-on-one tailored mentorship and leadership coaching
- Corporate partners: connection to corporates in your industry for valuable partnership opportunities, and as customers
- Access to investors: get connected to opportunities with Nedbank and active VCs, impact and angel investors looking to invest in African women-led ventures.
- Pitch n GrowÔ: Demo day/pitching event at the 7th annual AWIEF Conference and Awards (AWIEF2021) scheduled to take place on 2nd and 3rd December 2021.
- Free delegate pass to AWIEF2021 conference sessions.
- Join the AWIEF Community and alumni growth programme: unmatched access to a pan-African and global network and peer connection to other women entrepreneurs, continued online post-programme support, e-learning, events, and tailored introductions.
Eligibility for participation
Businesses must be:
- South African Exempt Micro Enterprises (EMEs) or Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs); at least 50% female black-owned
- In a post-revenue phase
- Scalable and innovative ventures
- In operation for not less than three years
- Owned or led by ambitious and committed women entrepreneurs
- Seeking investment or funding to scale
“The AWIEF Growth Accelerator was an incredibly inspiring, safe and supportive environment, and was particularly useful during our sudden, rapid growth phase.”
“My business is growing and it’s thanks to AWIEF. Thank you for the tools, drive, and confidence to accelerate my company to new heights.”, said a past AWIEF Growth Accelerator participant.
Watch the video showcasing a past AWIEF Growth Accelerator participant: https://bit.ly/3xYdWjk
How to apply
Are you a dynamic and innovative female entrepreneur in South Africa? Apply here for the AWIEF Growth Accelerator 2021 cohort. The deadline for application is Monday, June 14, 2021.
Recruitment for the program commences 15 – 30 June 2021, while the program kicks off on Monday, July 12, 2021.
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