We are excited to announce that we wrapped up a 12-week journey of the BIC Africa Acceleration Programme for Women Entrepreneurs 2024 cohort on the 9th of July with an online event.
For this year’s cohort, the fourth edition, we welcomed 23 promising entrepreneurs from a diverse range of backgrounds, from an impressive 139 applications. These women entrepreneurs represent 11 Sub-Saharan African countries, including the BIC Africa project countries (Angola, Comoros, Ethiopia, Madagascar and Somalia) with established post-revenue and registered startups across from different sectors. The programme began on the 23rd of April 2024 and offered them a blend of tailored online training modules, coaching sessions, individual exercises, networking sessions and one-to-one mentoring by seasoned entrepreneurs and professionals, all aimed at transforming their business potential into sustainable and long-term success.
The sessions were led by female experts in the field of entrepreneurship and business professionals from Europe and beyond. In addition, we invited five women business incubation experts from Comoros, Madagascar, and Somalia to shadow the acceleration programme. The programme also connected the participants with experienced business experts, as well as the implementing partners of the Country Projects, and exposed them to a variety of perspectives on running and growing their business, as well as helping them to refine their day-to-day business operation to unlock their business potential for scaling trajectory and raising fund for their startups. Furthermore, 14 selected participants benefited from one-to-one mentoring sessions with female experts from renown European Business Incubators.
During my three months with BIC Africa 2024, I had the opportunity to rethink and refine my business strategies. This experience allowed me to significantly enhance my management skills, leading to improved overall efficiency and effectiveness.
Jannie Nadia RATSIMBA EP RABEJAONA from M-LAMINAH- Madagascar
The BIC Africa programme enhanced my skills, built valuable networks, provided crucial resources, boosted my confidence, expanded my market reach, fostered innovation, and promoted sustainable practices.
Hamdi Mohamed Kheyraat Honey – Somalia
It has been a game changer for me, providing me with practical skills and deeper understanding of entrepreneurship that has already started to shape my journey in meaningful ways.
Grace Amuzie from Isrina Schools – Nigeria
With four successful editions, together with our partners, we have been able to support and equip 85 innovative women entrepreneurs with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate and grow their business. And many of these women entrepreneurs have promptly been able to significantly improve their business operations to new heights and even secure funding right after completion of the programme. During the closing session, we received positive feedback, and we continue to add value to these innovative women entrepreneurs that enable them to boost their venture and contribute to their local economies.
These last few months have taught me a lot, and thanks to this program I’m in the process of restructuring several aspects of my business.
Ruth Kind from ELHEN – Republic of Congo
The last three months in the BIC Africa acceleration programme have brought me a newfound clarity. I have gained a much better understanding of my overall positioning in entrepreneurship. Additionally, I have learned how to present my business to others more effectively.
Solange Monteiro from I.MK – Marca Inteligente – Angola
The BIC Africa 2024 programme has been an enriching experience that allowed me to discover many valuable tools to manage and develop my company Wutamu; I particularly liked analysing my psychological and financial profile, better understand my customers with customer empathy tool, and discover relevant marketing strategies.
Jihane Guy from Wutamu- Comoros
We are extremely proud of the progress they have made and celebrate their achievements. We are confident that their passion, strong work ethic, and determination will continue to drive them towards remarkable success. We look forward to bearing witness to all the incredible work that is yet to come.
A special gratitude to our financial partner, the European Union. And thanks to those who have relentlessly supported this year’s cohort, most importantly to our trainers, coaches, mentors from Europe and beyond, the country projects, and the African business incubator representatives who shadowed the programme.
The BIC Africa acceleration programme is made possible through a partnership between the European Union and EBN.
See the complete list of this year’s cohort and learn more here
