ShEquity, an investment vehicle that focuses on providing smart and sustainable investments for African female entrepreneurs, has announced the launch of ShEquity West Africa VC Fund and the ShEquity Business Accelerator (SHEBA), offering female founders funding as well as venture building and technical support.
ShEquity’s purpose is to provide smart and sustainable investments for African female entrepreneurs and innovators, the key driver of inclusive socio-economic growth. We facilitate access to a pool of de-risked deals to investors and empower female entrepreneurs with financial resources and operational support needed to unlock their full potential.
Launched in 2020 to help reduce the US$42 billion gender funding gap in Africa, ShEquity combines cash investment, structured technical support and access to high value networks.
ShEquity has so far invested in three companies – Kenyan insect-based feed manufacturer Ecodudu, Kenyan data and AI startup Superfluid Labs, and Zambia’s WidEnergy, a last mile distributor of clean, reliable, and affordable energy solutions.
According to Disrupt Africa, ShEquity plans to scale its impact in 2021, and with this in mind is launching a West Africa VC Fund and an associated business accelerator, SHEBA.
Headquartered in Accra, Ghana, SHEBA will work with female entrepreneurs to help them grow their businesses and create pipeline for the fund.
Pauline Koelbl, founder and managing partner at ShEquity, said;
“Through SHEBA, we plan to onboard 30 female entrepreneurs each year, who will receive venture building and technical support. Of these, qualifying entrepreneurs will receive investment from our VC fund. Our goal is to build an investment ecosystem that unlocks the potential of African female entrepreneurs.”
“We are interested in innovative, sustainable and impactful businesses that can generate revenue within one year, and we focus on the following sectors – natural resources, the digital economy and fintechs, the hospitality and service industry, agriculture, healthcare, and FMCGs.”
