Her Startup Opened Applications for Women Founders
The 12-week program aims to bridge a critical investment gap for African women entrepreneurs.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Startups
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Her Startup has opened applications for its second cohort of 10 early-stage women founders. The initiative provides mentorship and revenue-based financing to address a funding disparity across Africa.
Why it matters
African women founders secured less than one percent of the $2 billion raised by startups in 2025, despite representing 58 percent of the continent's self-employed population. This program seeks to rectify that imbalance by providing structured training and capital.
Eligible participants must be founders or CEOs aged 18 to 35 with businesses generating at least $500 in monthly gross revenue. The program utilizes a convertible, revenue-based financing model to provide liquidity compared to traditional equity-only venture capital.
The players
Her Startup
An accelerator program focused on technical and business training for African women founders.
The details
The program provides a 12-week training curriculum paired with monthly stipends and professional mentorship to scale early-stage ventures. Selected founders eventually pitch their businesses to an investment committee, which assesses firms for flexible funding through revenue-based financing—a model where repayments are tied to a percentage of future monthly gross income rather than fixed loan installments.
Timeline
The Her Startup pilot programme began in 2024.
African startups raised over $2 billion in 2025.
Three ventures secured funding at a Pitch Day in Lagos in April 2025.
Applications for the second cohort close on October 26, 2026.
The Tech Race
This program positions itself against the prevailing venture capital landscape that historically underserves women-led enterprises. It marks a departure from traditional equity models by prioritizing revenue-based financing to reach founders in fragmented markets.
Entrepreneurs operating for at least six months can apply for the program to gain access to capital and mentorship. The cohort is restricted to 10 founders, making competition for the training and financing support significant for those meeting the age and revenue requirements.
The takeaway
The program demonstrates an attempt to shift the capital allocation paradigm for women-led businesses through revenue-based models. Interested founders should track the selection outcomes following the October 26, 2026 application deadline.
What happens next
The deadline for all applications to the second cohort is October 26, 2026.
Further reading
For broader trends in emerging market investment, visit our Startups section.
Live Poll
Do you believe specialized accelerator programs effectively help women-led startups secure necessary funding?
