Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum is calling for application from women entrepreneurs in South Africa for the fourth installment of the AWIEF growth accelerator.

While noting that access to finance is one of the challenges facing the growth of women-owned businesses in Africa, AWIEF has decided to support the unique needs of early-stage and high growth-oriented women-led ventures.

The support would be targeted at business modelling, growth strategy training, corporate advisory, mentorship, networks, and access to strategic partnerships.

The AWIEF provides capital-raising support for growth, scale and sustainability. The forum also build women’s entrepreneurial leadership capacity, connecting them with appropriate sources of capital.

Since the acceleration program started in 2017, more than 100 early-growth-stage women founders have gone through the programme.

For this year’s edition, AWIEF will select 20 female entrepreneurs from the technology, agribusiness, financial services, manufacturing, health, education, tourism & hospitality, creative industries, and renewable energy sector.

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As part of the AWIEF’s Growth Accelerator, the participants will be taken through three different 2-day boot camps.

The boot camps will include master class sessions that would cover the scaling fundamentals; one-on-one tailored mentorship and leadership coaching.

The boot camp would also expose participants to investors and Venture capitalists looking to invest in African women-led ventures.

Eligible entrepreneurs must be:

1. A South African Exempt Micro Enterprises (EMEs) or Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs); at least 50% female black-owned.
2. In a post-revenue phase.
3. A scalable and innovative venture.
4. In operation for not less than three years.
5. Owned or led by ambitious and committed women entrepreneurs.
6. Seeking investment or funding to scale.

Applications should be submitted before the 10th of June 2021.

To register, click here.