HerMeNow Accelerator 2022

Designed for women-led social enterprises focusing on building impactful solutions in culture, mindset, and education, this program is almost entirely remote and online and so accessible to companies across MENA + Africa (including Armenia).

We will help grow your business through a three-month program driven by Bloom’s project-based learning methodology and world-class support.

The 2022 HerMeNow Accelerator is a short program that will bring training support to up to 30 women-led social enterprises in MENA & Africa in the sprint phase and technical, financial, and mentorship support to 10 women-led social enterprises in the accelerator phase.

The program is almost entirely remote/online and accessible to enterprises across geographies. The program also offers international exposure to the participants through online events, plus by inviting them to take part in an exciting social entrepreneurship festival in Tuscany, Italy, in November 2022 (funded and organized by the HerMeNow team and its partners).

The 2022 HerMeNow Accelerator is funded by the Stardust Concept ESG and Impact Division and was initiated by Natacha Fazal Karim, a woman entrepreneur who believes in women empowerment through social entrepreneurship. Social enterprises seek to generate profits while maximizing benefits to society and the environment. The Stardust Concept ESG and Impact Division’s mission is to create social and environmental impact by supporting women-led social enterprises worldwide.

The impact focus is culture, mindset, and education. We strongly believe that it is through these sectors that radical change can happen by unlocking solutions to other critical SDG challenges.

Support for your business

We’re excited to collaborate with the Stardust Concept ESG and Impact Division on this effort to expand entrepreneurship opportunities, education, and momentum, especially in the communities that need it most. The HerMeNow Accelerator will support 10 women-led social enterprises across the MENA+Africa region.

Selected Teams Get:

• Funding to support an essential aspect of the business could improve growth and sustainability.
• Each enterprise will get a 2,000$ grant to support the enterprise’s needs and potential impact.
• Training, mentorship, and other support during the three-month accelerator program.
• Lifetime access to Bloom’s resources and HerMeNow’s network of entrepreneurs, including mentors, investors, alumni, and staff
• Demo day exposure and other investor connections

Eligibility criteria

Social Enterprises that are past the product/market fit stage and that:

• Already generate revenues or have considerable user and/or product traction
• Are planning to expand their teams
• Are economically viable in the long term
• Are responsible, inclusive, and social enterprises
• Are based in MENA + Africa (including Armenia)

Your enterprise is eligible if it meets the following criteria:

• Your enterprise is designed to be sustainable and economically viable.
• You have the potential to sustain your enterprise without the program’s long-term support.
• Your enterprise has a social element / generates a positive social impact.
  • Alignment with SDGs
  • Tracking of social impact KPIs along with the financial impact
  • Reinvesting at least half of revenues into social initiatives
• More than one person in the team, with at least two team members working full-time in the enterprise.
• No restrictions on sociographic or other parameters regarding the applicants.
• Female-led enterprises and enterprises with higher diversity (age, sex, socio-economic background, refugee/host communities, location around MENA and Africa, etc.) are particularly encouraged to apply.

We are unable to support:

• Enterprises of only one individual.
• Enterprises that are engaged with other entrepreneurship/innovation programs/accelerators, unless there is a clear distinction between the program offerings, and enterprises can demonstrate that they have time and capacity to join this program in addition to their other program commitments.

Open House Events

Meet the Bloom and HerMeNow team and learn more about the 2022 HerMeNow Accelerator program, social entrepreneurship in MENA and Africa, and how we can work together to unleash impactful women in the region and beyond.

Register now to the Open House event

Important dates