Africa Blog
Google in Sub-Saharan Africa: news, stories and thoughts
Google for Startups Accelerator Africa: Call for Applications for Women Founders
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Women account for
17% of business founders in Africa
, yet they receive a fraction of available capital. In 2021, African startups raised over
$5 billion in funding
across various sectors, with just 20% going to startups co-founded by women and only 1% of funding going to women-led startups. This is despite the fact that women make up half of the population and are increasingly dominant in the entrepreneurship space, with 58% of businesses in Africa being owned by women.
One example of a successful and innovative women-led startup in Africa is
Pezesha
, a micro lending platform founded by Hilda Moraa in Kenya. Pezesha leverages credit analytics and big data to offer users access to loans securely using mobile money, helping to digitize small businesses and tackle poverty and unemployment. The platform also improves financial literacy and increases business earnings, driving economic growth and improving livelihoods.
By increasing the representation of women in the startup ecosystem, we can help bridge the gap between the number of women-led startups and the amount and quality of support they receive, ultimately leading to more diversity and innovation.
This is why
we are excited to announce the launch of the Google for Startups Accelerator: Women Founders Africa Program, which aims to support and empower women entrepreneurs in Africa by addressing these specific challenges
.
The program will run for
12 weeks
and will include both online and in-person sessions, starting in March and ending in May 2023. This program is part of our broader efforts to improve the representation of women across different sections and to provide resources, mentorship and a network of support for female entrepreneurs.
We believe that by providing access to funding, resources and mentorship, we can help to empower women founders to scale their businesses, create jobs and make a positive impact on their communities.
Applications for the program are open now through February 20th, 2023. We encourage all women building great tech startups in Africa or for Africa to
apply
to the program and take advantage of this opportunity.
Posted by Folarin Aiyegbusi, Head of Startup Ecosystem, Africa, Google
====
Labels
add me to search
Africa Internet Economy
Digital Transformation
Dodos
doodle
doodle4google
Eric Okafor
Ghana
Google Africa
Internet in Africa
Kay Kgonyama
Metro Fibre
Next Billion Users
people card
Project Link
Public Policy
Search
Uganda
YouTube Africa
YouTube Awards
YouTube Creators
YouTubeBlack
Archive
2023
Dec
Feb
2022
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2021
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2020
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2019
Nov
Oct
Aug
Jul
Apr
Mar
Feb
2018
Nov
Oct
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2017
Dec
Nov
Oct
Jul
Jun
May
Mar
Feb
2016
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Jul
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2015
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2014
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2013
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2012
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2011
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2010
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2009
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2008
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Feed
We Love Feedback
Do you want to respond to a post or give us feedback? Please visit our
discussion group
.
.jpg)
