![[South Africa] Nedbank and AWIEF Partner for the Fourth Cohort of the AWIEF Growth Accelerator](Images/Key Logos/Nedbank.jpg)
[South Africa] Nedbank and AWIEF Partner for the Fourth Cohort of the AWIEF Growth Accelerator
The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) is hosting the fourth cohort of its flagship AWIEF Growth Accelerator, sponsored by Nedbank.
Access to finance is the most cited challenge to the growth of women-owned businesses in Africa. Bankability and investment readiness are major impediments to attracting business finance. The AWIEF Growth Accelerator is designed to support the unique needs of early-stage and high growth-oriented women-led ventures with business modelling, growth strategy training, corporate advisory, mentorship, networks, and access to strategic partnerships. The accelerator provides capital-raising support for growth, scale and sustainability. It builds women’s entrepreneurial leadership capacity, connects them with appropriate sources of capital and helps them scale.
Since 2017, more than 100 early-growth-stage women founders have gone through the accelerator programme. For the 2021 cohort, 20 female entrepreneurs will be selected from sectors including technology, agribusiness, financial services, manufacturing, health, education, tourism & hospitality, creative industries, and renewable energy.
Applications are invited from dynamic and innovative female entrepreneurs. The programme offers three two-day boot camps, masterclasses, one-on-one tailored mentorship and leadership coaching, corporate partners, access to investors and free delegate pass to AWIEF2021 conference sessions.
Participants will also take part in the demo day/pitching event at the 7th annual AWIEF Conference and Awards (AWIEF2021) scheduled to take place on 2nd and 3rd December 2021. They also join the AWIEF Community and alumni growth programme.
Applications are open to South African Exempt Micro Enterprises (EMEs) or Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs) that are at least 50% female black-owned and in a post-revenue phase.. scalable and innovative ventures. The businesses must have been in operation for not less than three years, owned or led by ambitious and committed women entrepreneurs and seeking investment or funding to scale.
Applications for the programme open on 10 May 2021 and close on 14 June.
