When Ngozi Nwabueze first began pitching her digital legal startup, PocketLawyers — a web-based platform that connects everyday people with real-time legal support — she was often met with polite smiles and curt dismissals. The idea was strong, the market need was real, but she found herself pushing against invisible barriers.
Investors didn’t just question the model, some struggled to see her. Traditional legal stakeholders, too, were hesitant. As a young female founder, she was frequently advised to “start smaller” or “try something more manageable.”
A reality we’ve long recognized is that, across the world — especially in this part — women often face disadvantages in many areas, particularly when it comes to career advancement and large-scale business ventures. This is especially true in the rapidly evolving technology sector. In the areas where women conceive brilliant ideas with the potential to improve themselves and others, these ideas, dreams, and intentions often wither and/or die due to financial starvation.
Countless instances exist where women are prepared to harness their strength in pursuit of advancement, and the critical aspect of funding presents itself as a formidable obstacle.
To do their part in addressing the gap, HerStartup, a programme collaboratively spearheaded by three prominent organizations, was created to contribute to building the bridge toward equity. HerStartup is a multifaceted initiative designed to empower female entrepreneurs and enhance their growth.
This visionary programme is the brainchild of: KSH Foundation, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to leveraging technology for early development; Tomorrow Foundation, a Swiss charity foundation based in Geneva aiming at supporting international cooperation, fairer economic policies, and improving living conditions through technology and skills development in Africa; and eha Impact Ventures, a philanthropic impact investing enterprise that supports early stage, high-impact, female-led businesses in Africa.
Speaking on the motivation to engineer such an initiative, Khalil Halilu, the founder of KSH Foundation, said, “Women entrepreneurs face unique challenges in accessing funding, mentorship, and business networks… This programme was inspired by a desire to bridge that gap, and by investing in women, this means we are also strengthening families, communities, and economies.”
Halilu believes that a female-focused programme ensures that women have a level playing field, offering them tailored mentorship, access to capital, and a strong support system. “We aim to build a network of successful female founders who, in turn, mentor and support the next generation of women in business.
Ultimately, we want this initiative to catalyse systemic change, making gender-inclusive entrepreneurship the norm rather than the exception,” he enthused.
Fundamentally, the goal of Her Startup is to create a pathway for female founders, hoping that through and beyond our program, they will gain the resources and connections needed to access opportunities.
The program’s comprehensive approach combines training, funding, and mentorship to equip participants with the tools and support needed to thrive. The first piece of the puzzle is the training—a 14-week intensive program facilitated by Founder Institute.
The accelerator program culminated in a pitch program in Lagos on April 10th, where graduates competed for convertible-based financing, averaging $5000, following which three female entrepreneurs won big.
However, this initiative is about more than providing funding for businesses. “Funding is just one piece of the puzzle,’ explains Evelyn Castle, Co-Founder and CEO of eha Impact Ventures. ‘Through the HerStartup Program, we have built a holistic support system that equips founders with the knowledge, networks, and confidence to scale their businesses.”
As the initiative matures, its partners envision a significant shift in Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape. Denis Lebsis-Daronnat, a board member of Tomorrow Foundation, highlights their ambitious goal: “We aim to establish a self-sustaining network of female-led startups across Africa that supports collaboration, resource-sharing, and peer mentoring beyond the accelerator program. Our long-term goal includes securing a $100 million fund dedicated to female founders over the next decade.”
Maggie Gu, President of Tomorrow Foundation, emphasised this stance. “Ultimately, success for us is not just in launching businesses but in fostering sustainable growth and impact,” she states.
The impact of HerStartup is already being felt, with 6 out of the 9 beneficiaries from the inaugural phase pitching their businesses at the final stage—the investment pitch. Out of these, three exceptional founders emerged as winners, earning themselves the convertible financing: Blessing Aniefiok, founder of Dynalimb Technologies, a healthcare startup providing innovative prosthetic and orthotic solutions; Olapeju Nwanganga of Ploutos Page, a startup delivering bookkeeping services and software solutions; and Ngozi Nwabueze, founder of PocketLawyers, an all-in-one digital operating system for lawyers.
Other standout competitors were Eucheria Luke of Enterprise Suite, an IT firm offering brand and business design and IT project management; Maryjane Kalunta of Craftoor, an online platform empowering artisans and creatives; and Wheapadu Emmanuel of Eki Technologies, a startup revolutionizing the African creator economy. Although they did not secure convertible financing, they will still enjoy key benefits of the program, including six months of free mental health sessions with BlueRoom Care, one year of free health coverage with eha Clinics, and access to co-working spaces provided by the CANs.
