Accelerating African Female Founders to Capital Programme 2026: Apply Now for WomHub’s Investment Readiness Journey
WomHub has opened applications for the Accelerating African Female Founders to Capital Programme, a growth and investment readiness initiative built for women entrepreneurs across Southern Africa who are leading innovative businesses in the STEM sectors. This is one of the few programmes on WomHub’s current roster still open, with several of the organisation’s other listed programmes already closed to new applicants.
If you are a woman founder building a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Manufacturing business and you are ready to become investment-ready, here is a full breakdown of the programme, eligibility, and how to apply.
What Is the Accelerating African Female Founders to Capital Programme?
The programme is delivered by WomHub, in partnership with the AfricaGrow Technical Assistance Facility, KfW DEG Impact, and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It is designed to help women-led STEM businesses become investment-ready, scale sustainably, and access catalytic funding.
The programme targets women entrepreneurs who are already building innovative, revenue-generating businesses with strong growth and impact potential. Through structured training, mentorship, technical assistance, business diagnostics, and direct investor engagement, participants strengthen their business foundations and prepare to attract capital.
How the Programme Works: Three Progressive Phases
The Accelerating African Female Founders to Capital Programme is structured as a three-phase journey, narrowing down from a broad cohort to a smaller group of funded businesses.
Phase 1: Pipeline Development
45 women-led businesses take part in a structured business development programme focused on strengthening business fundamentals, leadership, operations, financial management, sustainability, and overall growth readiness.
Phase 2: Investor Readiness
The top 20 businesses from Phase 1 advance into an intensive investment readiness programme. This phase covers financial preparedness, due diligence, investor engagement, and pitch refinement, preparing founders to present confidently to funders.
Phase 3: Capital Deployment
Businesses that successfully complete the investor readiness journey and due diligence process become eligible to pitch for catalytic funding. Between 5 and 10 businesses ultimately receive investment, along with ongoing post-investment support to help sustain growth after funding is secured.
What Participants Gain
Beyond the potential for direct investment, participants gain access to a dynamic network of mentors, industry experts, ecosystem partners, and investors who are committed to supporting the growth of women-led STEM enterprises across the region. The programme is built to create lasting impact by strengthening founder capabilities, improving investment readiness, enabling access to capital, driving revenue growth, creating quality jobs, and accelerating innovation across the STEM ecosystem.
Who Is Eligible to Apply?
To qualify for the programme, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Must be a female founder
- Must be based in one of the eligible Southern African countries (see full list below)
- Must be investment ready
- Must demonstrate a genuine commitment to sustainability within their business
Eligible Countries
This programme is open to women founders from: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
How to Apply
Applications are submitted through WomHub’s official application link.
- Confirm that your business fits within the STEM sectors, Science, Technology, Engineering, or Manufacturing
- Confirm that you meet all four eligibility criteria listed above
- Complete the online application form
- Submit your application for consideration in Phase 1: Pipeline Development
Apply here: bit.ly/Acceelerate_To_Capital_Programme
For any questions about the programme or the application process, contact WomHub directly through the enquiries email listed on the official programme page.
Why This Programme Matters Right Now
Several of WomHub’s other flagship programmes, including SC Women in Tech 4, the Green Acceleration Programme, and Amazon Sustainable Sellers, are currently marked as closed to new applicants. The Accelerating African Female Founders to Capital Programme is one of the organisation’s few genuinely open opportunities at the moment, which makes it a particularly strong option for women founders ready to move their STEM business toward investment readiness right now rather than waiting for the next intake.
WomHub also runs an ongoing Call for Mentors, open on a rolling basis, for professionals interested in supporting female-founded STEM innovations through mentorship.
Final Thoughts
For women entrepreneurs across Southern Africa building innovative STEM businesses, the Accelerating African Female Founders to Capital Programme offers a clear, structured path from business development through to investor readiness and, for the strongest founders, direct catalytic funding.
Visit the official website to apply
Follow Youth Opportunities Hub on LinkedIn
Looking for another opportunity?
Search Youth Opportunities Hub for jobs, bursaries, internships, learnerships, scholarships and more.
