Calls are currently on for African Female Entrepreneurs to apply for the Y-HER Accelerator Programme, which offers mentorship and a total of US$50,000 in prize funding.
The Y-HER programme, which targets females running high-impact ventures and also seeks to improve the lives of African women and girls, will take place in Johannesburg in November. It is run by a social entrepreneurship organisation Spark and Bills as an opportunity for passionate female entrepreneurs with early-stage start-ups.
Fifteen successful female applicants stand to benefit from a week long intensive entrepreneurship programme as they will be provided training and mentorship. Also they will be connected to an inspiring group of young fellow female entrepreneurs and there is the mouth watering opportunity for the girls to connect to investors, funders, mentors, supporters with the opportunity to pitch ventures as the week comes to a close at an exclusive invite only high tea event.
A total of 50,000 USD in prize funding is available for the winners of peer review and audience votes. There is also the opportunity to qualify for growth support including ongoing tailored support or grant or investment funding of 10,000 USD to 50,000 USD to help scale ventures.
After the week long training, the Y-HER programme also offers ongoing virtual community connection with the entrepreneurs to guide them in their entrepreneurial journey and also affords them the opportunity to stay in touch with one another inspiring and holding one another accountable with monthly check ins, master mind sessions and knowledge sharing.
To be eligible you must have one female co founder who will participate in the programme. An applicant must have a clear knowledge of the problem she wants to solve. Also, the venture must exist to improve the lives of girls and women who are held back by poverty. The applicant must have run a venture or at least run a pilot or have some early traction or proof of concept. To be eligible the applicant must have less than 100 customers and must have been in operation less than two years.
Application closes on the 22nd of September 2017 while applicants will be notified of their status on the 30th of September, 2017.
