In celebration of the 2023 International Women’s Day, Google has announced three new initiatives to empower women entrepreneurs in Africa, specifically Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa, in March. These initiatives are set to provide them with the resources they need to succeed as entrepreneurs.
It includes the Hustle Academy for Women-Led SMEs, a social media series celebrating inspiring women in Africa’s technology sector, and the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa: Women Founders Cohort.
Speaking on these initiatives, Dorothy Ooko, Head of Communications at Google Africa, said,
At Google, we are committed to providing women entrepreneurs in Africa with access to funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Through our programs, we aim to bridge the gap and empower women to succeed in their respective fields.
Read Also: How to apply for the third cohort of Google’s $4m Black Founders fund for Africa
Google Hustle Academy
This boot camp-style training program is designed to assist entrepreneurs in increasing their business revenue, positioning themselves for more investment opportunities, and building sustainable businesses.
This is an initiative program Google is putting in place this month to celebrate International Women’s Day. It plans to host six women-focused cohorts of the Hustle Academy program in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa throughout March.
Interested women entrepreneurs in these countries can apply to join these cohorts at g.co/hustleacademy.
#WomeninIT social media series
Another initiative is the #WomeninIT social media series to celebrate inspiring women in Africa’s technology sector. The series will feature the stories of six inspiring women who are breaking barriers and impacting the fields of technology, business, entrepreneurship, innovation, and startups in Africa.
Follow Google on Twitter (@GoogleAfrica) to follow the series.
Read Also: Google launches 1st dedicated Startups Accelerator for women founders in Africa
Google for Startups Accelerator Africa: Women Founders Cohort
In the inaugural class of the Google for Startups Accelerator: Women Founders in Africa program, 15 startups from eight African countries have been selected. These startups are on a mission to create innovative solutions that improve livelihoods in their communities through sustainable agricultural practices to enable accessible healthcare, paving the way for digital transformation in Africa.
Speaking on the importance of this inaugural class, Folarin Aiayegbusi, Head of Startup Ecosystem, Africa, said,
We are thrilled to announce the selected startups for the inaugural class of our Google for Startups Accelerator Africa: Women Founders Cohort. These women are tackling some of Africa’s most pressing challenges, and we’re excited to support them as they build the future.
Folarin Aiayegbusi, Head of Startup Ecosystem, Africa.
The accelerator program aims to bridge this gap by providing business and technical workshops, mentorship, and investor networking opportunities to women entrepreneurs.
The 15 African startups selected for the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa Women Founders Cohort
Afriwell Health (Congo): It is a health tech startup connecting Congo patients with healthcare professionals globally.
Alajo App (Nigeria): It is a fintech startup and a digital piggy bank for Africa’s underbanked and non-smartphone users. Its mission is to build an escrowed banking system between Agents and Users. Alajo is focused on providing smart solutions for traditional savings and credit.
eWaka (Kenya): A ridesharing platform offering commuter and commercial micro-mobility fleets for delivery businesses. It combines hardware, software, and servicing to respond to the increasing urban transportation needs on the continent while addressing the major climate challenges of this critical sector.
Farmer Lifeline (Kenya): It is an agri-tech startup that provides technology solutions that helps smallholder farmers detect and stay ahead of crop pests and crop diseases to increase crop yield.
Gobeba (Kenya); A digital retail platform for distributing bulky and essential household essentials to urban households in growing African cities.
Hepta Pay (Rwanda); A product that interfaces card payments with mobile money accounts, easing diaspora inflows. It serves as an online Agent for Mobile Money in East Africa. Accepts Visa, Mastercard, and American Express debit or credit cards, globally.
Jem HR (South Africa): This startup operates software that plugs into any HR and payroll system, making it easy for employers to send payslips, manage to leave requests, process salary advances, and communicate with thousands of frontline employees using WhatsApp. It is on a mission to
connect employers with their frontline employees.
Kola Market (Ghana): A full-stack B2B e-Commerce platform providing Guaranteed Sales, Smart Inventory Recommendations, and Product Financing to African SMEs. It leverages on AI and other digital tools to provide marketing and consistent sales for SMEs.
Maxibuy (Nigeria): An inventory procurement and financial services platform for bulk buying merchants of consumer goods in Nigeria. It provides easy sourcing and financial services for merchants.
MosMos (Kenya): This startup offers a save-to-buy platform for Africa through convenient and flexible instalments.
Mipango (Tanzania): A personal finance and robo advisory app for women and the mass market. It offers services like financial data analysis, education, money management & recommendations software for Financial Institutions, and mobile application for the unbanked.
Smart Ikigega (Rwanda): It is an agri-tech startup looking to build an African harvesting data-based system in agriculture through digitalization and harvest management technology. Smart Ikigega helps farmers to manage their harvest and get pre-harvest market connections in the easiest ways.
Suitch (Cameroon): A fintech startup on a mission to foster the growth of underbanked and non-banked with digital financial services. It offers a portfolio of services that are an accessible and affordable alternative for people not adequately catered for by the traditional financial system.
Tyms Africa (Nigeria): It powers financial prosperity through technology, with products and solutions spanning across intelligent (ai-powered) financial tools, community-based savings (ROSCA), investment, and instant microcredit platforms
Zydii (Kenya): A premier localized digital training solution engaging and accessible for the African workforce, leading to transformative growth for businesses. It offers virtual training and digital learning solutions.
These initiatives are looking to impact women’s education, entrepreneurship, and leadership in celebrating International Women’s Day. Google aims to create a more equitable world where women have equal opportunities and can thrive even in business.
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