Female entrepreneurs can now apply for $50,000 funding from YHER

Spark, a social entrepreneurship organisation, designed for female African entrepreneurs, has earmarked $50,000 in prize funding for the winners of their ongoing acceleration programme for entrepreneurs on the continent, through its YHER initiative.

After a week-long intensive entrepreneurship programme designed to fast track the entrepreneurs early stage venture, the successful entrepreneurs will be eligible to win the $50,000 cash prize, Entrepreneurship+ learnt.

The acceleration programme will provide training and mentorship to the entrepreneurs, while also connecting them to an inspiring group of fellow female entrepreneurs working hard to create a better world for women and girls.

“We believe the Future is African and female. We know women are vibrant and vital architects of society. We know women are the best levers for change in our world. We also know female entrepreneurs need to be championed,” the organisers explained the rationale behind the programme, in a statement on their website.

Businesses with at least one female co-founder are eligible to apply for the programme.

In addition to that, the founder must have an intimate understand the problem that her business is trying to solve and the venture must exist to improve the lives of women and girls who are held back by poverty.

Also, the business owners must have already launched a venture, which has been in operation for less than two years, or at least run a pilot and have some early traction or proof of concept, with less than 100 customers.

“More women are pursuing entrepreneurship in Africa per capita than anywhere else in the world. For this reason, Spark is conducting a continent-wide search to bring together an unrivalled group of 15 African Female Founders for its YHER Accelerator.

Founders running high-impact ventures aimed at improving the lives and women and girls,” the organisers further explained.

Application deadline for the programme is September 22nd, 2017.