Apply for the TEF Women Entrepreneurship For Africa (WE4A) Program ($5 Million Funding)

March 15, 2024 Chimaobi Agwu

Applications are currently being accepted for the TEF Women Entrepreneurship For Africa (WE4A) Program. The initiative, known as the “Women Entrepreneurship for Africa” (WE4A) program, is a collaborative effort supported by the European Union (EU), the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

It is being executed by the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) and the German Development agency GIZ (E4D program). The program’s primary focus is on empowering marginalized communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly women, youth, and those in the informal sector. The Acceleration/Growth Programme will be carried out with the assistance of SAFEEM (Swiss Association for Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets).

The main objective of the program is to enhance the business capabilities of women-led enterprises to improve their chances of securing additional funding from private sector investors. A select group of 15 enterprises with the highest growth potential, as determined by an expert panel, will receive additional grant funding of up to €50,000 along with participation in a growth program. This extended program will run for an additional 3 months.

Both the initial acceleration and the subsequent growth programs are designed to assist women entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa in thriving and contributing to job creation in their communities by enhancing their business skills, facilitating access to formal financial services, and integrating them into local and regional value chains.

Requirements: TEF Women Entrepreneurship For Africa (WE4A) Program

– Female entrepreneurs from the TEF Alumni network.
– Must have a functioning product and ideally an existing customer base.

ACCELERATION PROGRAMME STARTUPS TEF Women Entrepreneurship For Africa (WE4A) Program

The 100 TEF Alumna who are part of this collaboration have been divided into eight clusters based on their growth stage and sector. This approach allows for a more personalized experience within the program. Each cluster is overseen by an Entrepreneur in Residence (EiR) who offers mentorship and guidance throughout the program.

Program Details TEF Women Entrepreneurship For Africa (WE4A) Program

The program will last for 3 months of acceleration, and if you are selected, it will be followed by a growth program and technical assistance for an additional 3 months.
Training and all related program activities will be delivered virtually via Zoom. There will also be an online program management and e-learning platform.