Call for SA women entrepreneurs to apply to AWIEF programme

Amid Budget Speech shock, yet another Land Bill proposed

Katja Hamilton

The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) is inviting applications from committed and innovative South African female entrepreneurs for the 2022 cohort of its flagship AWIEF Growth Accelerator.

Source: Unsplash

The AWIEF Growth Accelerator aims 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 120 early and growth-stage South African women founders have gone through the accelerator programme.

For the 2022 cohort, another 20 female entrepreneurs will be selected from sectors including technology, agribusiness and agro-processing, financial services, manufacturing, health, education, tourism and hospitality, creative industries, and renewable energy.

Businesses must be:

South African Exempt Micro Enterprises (EMEs) or Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs); at least 51% female Black-owned.
In a post-revenue phase.
Scalable and innovative ventures.
In operation for not less than three years.
Owned or led by ambitious and committed women entrepreneurs.
Seeking investment or funding to scale and expand.

To submit an application for the AWIEF Growth Accelerator 2022 cohort, click here. The application deadline is on 4 July 2022 at 23:59 CAT.