A female entrepreneur
ShEquity and MBC Africa have launched the ShEquity Business Accelerator (SHEBA) to offer venture building and technical support to African female entrepreneurs with impactful and scalable businesses.
SHEBA, with offices in Accra, will work with potential ShEquity investment candidates in agribusiness (agtech, production, processing, wholesale & retailing, any other agribusiness value chain aspects), healthcare, technology (fintech, clean-tech, etc.), renewable energies, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).
The accelerator which is the next horizon in ShEquity’s significant investment and active role in building an investment ecosystem for African women entrepreneurs will give qualifying participants funding to structure their businesses and become ShEquity investment-ready.
Accordingly, SHEBA will serve as the pipeline for the ShEquity West Africa VC Fund which is being set up in Accra.
Ténemba Anna Samaké, Executive Director at MBC Africa, commented, “We have a unique perspective on women entrepreneurs. Our previous experiences equipped us with tools and insights on how to tackle the issue of the gender funding gap in Africa.
We had at heart to create a unique platform to address operational, access to resources challenges, but also emotional, psychological, and business networks women in business need to thrive.”
Pauline Koelbl, Founder and Managing Director at ShEquity added, “I am excited to be joining hands with Anna to set up an investment ecosystem that serves as a catalyst to de-risk, strengthen and invest in African female-led businesses. Rather than just complaining about the existing gender funding gap, we are proposing a platform, SHEBA, which will serve as the pathway to securing early-stage funding and follow-on investment from ShEquity and other gender lens investors.”
Every year, SHEBA will select and support 30 women, focusing on the following: business development, financial management; go to market strategy, branding & marketing, governance structure, HR/Team management, leadership development, networking opportunities, founders’ personal development/soft skills development.
Applicants must be a woman leading/owning an impactful and scalable business, committed to the 6 months program duration, have a business that has been in operation for a minimum of 24 months and is based in the ECOWAS Region and be willing to signing the SHEBA agreement when selected.
Application for the first cohort of the six-month program is open.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri