She Leads Africa Accelerator 2017

Accelerator program for early stage, women led startups in Nigeria

Overview

Application deadline	Jun 25
Program dates	Aug 28 - Nov 17, 2017
Organizer	She Leads Africa^{Foundation / Non-profit}
Website	Visit website
Targets	Nigeria
Sectors	Agribusiness, Clean technology, Computer hardware, Computer software, Creative, media and entertainment, E-commerce, Leisure and travel, Retail, Specialty retail

The SLA Accelerator is a 3-month program designed to identify, support and fund the next generation of Nigeria’s brightest female entrepreneurs. The winner of the programme will receive N2 million from SLA.

This year, the programme will take place in three locations: Lagos (Island and Mainland), Abuja and Kaduna.

Click here to begin your application

What do you get from the program?

3 months intensive training on business and operational skills
Online and offline learning resources
Exclusive access and mentorship from some of Nigeria’s leading business personalities
Opportunity to pitch your business in front of local and international investors
Features in local and international media

What’s the process?

Put together a top notch application package, ace the semi-final interviews and get selected by the review committee.
Spend 1 boot camp week being trained by the SLA team and connecting with some of Nigeria’s most prominent business and operational experts.
Attend bi-weekly meet ups with the other participants in your location. Complete bi-weekly online workshops.
Join us in Lagos for your pitch opportunity in November. Pitch your business to a room of local and international investors and media.

Previous SLA entrepreneurs have been featured on Forbes and CNN and received brand endorsements after pitch day. In total they’ve gone on to raise $1 million, have been invested in by members of 500 startups and a lucky few even got to pitch to Aliko Dangote himself.

The top entrepreneur will walk away with N 2 million. The others receive 3 months of intensive support and access to a vast network of mentors and investors.

Are you eligible?

Business with at least one woman aged 18-35 as a shareholder or owner
Abuja: Retail/E-Commerce companies only
Kaduna: Agribusiness companies only
Lagos Island: Creatives companies only
Lagos Mainland: Technology companies only
Less than 3 years in operations

What’s next?

Submit your application! Applications open May 15, 2017 and close June 25, 2016 and we will not accept any late submissions. You must upload your pitch deck to your VC4A profile in order for your application to be complete. Make sure you join the She Leads Africa community to gain access to our application tips, free downloadable guide on how to create a BOSS pitch deck and an invitation to a private webinar with our cofounders where you can ask your questions and hear directly from them on what they’re looking for.

This 2017 SLA Accelerator is run in partnership with the Work in Progress! Alliance – a consortium of Oxfam, Butterfly Works and VC4A focused on driving job creation and youth employment in Nigeria. The Kaduna Agribusiness cohort is sponsored by OCP, Guaranty Trust Bank are the sponsor of the Abuja Retail and E-Commerce cohort and the Lagos Island cohort is sponsored by Cointreau.

About She Leads Africa:

She Leads Africa is a social enterprise dedicated to supporting young African women and their journey towards professional success. The organisation has been featured on CNN, CNBC Africa, Black Enterprise and Fox Business and has more than 300,000 members across Africa and the diaspora.

About Work In Progress! Alliance:

The Work in Progress! Alliance is focused on unlocking the economic potential of young women and men in Egypt, Nigeria and Somalia. The project aims to enable them to generate sustainable and living incomes – by finding regular employment or starting enterprises. Alliance partners include Oxfam, VC4Africa and Butterfly Works.

About Guaranty Trust Bank

Guaranty Trust Bank is recognized as one of the most profitable and well managed financial institutions in Africa for providing quality service, ethics, professionalism, integrity, innovation and internationally accepted corporate governance standards.

About OCP

As the exclusive caretaker of the world’s largest phosphate resources, OCP has always had a deeply rooted commitment to protecting global food security, through our role in sustainably increasing agricultural productivity. This core value is embodied in our entire OCP team, inspiring our vision and empowering our team to work, innovate and deliver a shared benefit for the world’s population.

Click here to begin your application