About this opportunity
Her Startup is a pan-African accelerator run with EHA Impact Ventures that supports female founders with training, funding, mentorship and wellness services. The provider describes the objective plainly: to provide guidance and invest in African women-led early-stage companies with high growth potential in emerging industries, helping women scale businesses, attract investment, create jobs and drive innovation across the continent.
The programme has already drawn more than 200 applications from 18 countries. Cohort 2.
0 is the second edition and the application portal sets out six short sections that take about 25 minutes, with answers saved on the device as you go. The provider post lists what founders get: 12 weeks of world-class training, a monthly stipend to keep you focused and funded, a real shot at pitching for start-up capital, and six months of hands-on mentorship from people who have done it before.
The programme runs in four visible steps. First the team selects applicants.
Then founders train, and during that stage they receive an allowance in stages. Founders who successfully complete the training get a certificate and become eligible to apply for funding.
In the third step the remaining start-ups pitch their business model to the programme Investment Committee to obtain funding of 5,000 USD. The
Eligibility
bar is specific, so read it before you start. The provider page states that Her Startup is open to young female founders, co-founders or CEOs aged 18-35 who lead tech-enabled startups across Africa who meet the programme's
Eligibility
, and the
Application steps
list requires an existing product plus sustained revenue, which rules out idea stage applicants.
What you receive
- 12 weeks of structured accelerator training
- A monthly stipend, paid in stages during the training programme
- Six months of hands-on mentorship from operators and investors
- A pitch to the programme Investment Committee for 5,000 USD in start-up capital
- A completion certificate and eligibility to apply for programme funding
- Wellness support alongside the business programme
Who can apply
- Be a female founder, co-founder or CEO of the business applying
- Be aged 18-35
- Run a tech-enabled business
- Have an MVP or an existing product on the market
- Be generating at least US$500 in monthly revenue, sustained for at least 6 months
- Lead a startup based in an African market, with the form listing African Union member states as operating countries
- Work in English or French, both accepted on the application form
Who should not apply
- The programme is open to women only, so male founders are not eligible
- Idea stage ventures without an MVP or product on the market do not meet the criteria
- Businesses below the US$500 monthly revenue level sustained for six months do not qualify
Documents to prepare
- Government issued ID
- Proof of revenue for the last 6 months
- Company registration documents showing your role
How to apply
- Open the Cohort 2.0 portal at apply.her-startup.com from the programme page
- Pass the eligibility check section, which asks the age, gender role, product and revenue questions
- Complete the about you section with name, email, WhatsApp number with country code, working language and LinkedIn profile
- Complete the about your business section, including other African countries where the business operates
- Answer the programme fit and growth section
- Upload ID, pitch deck, proof of revenue for the last 6 months and company registration documents, each as PDF, JPG or PNG up to 10 MB
- Submit the declaration before applications close on 26 October 2026
Sources and verification
Questions applicants ask
Is there an application fee?
No fee is printed on the Her Startup programme page or the Cohort 2.0 portal, and the portal only asks for the form answers and the four documents.
Can a founder outside Nigeria apply?
Yes. The programme is pan-African and the application form lists African Union member states as business operating countries, with English and French both accepted.
What happens after the 12 weeks of training?
Founders who successfully complete the training receive a certificate and become eligible to apply for funding, and the remaining start-ups pitch to the programme Investment Committee for 5,000 USD.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
