The fifth edition of the BIC Africa Online Acceleration Programme for Women Entrepreneurs has successfully wrapped up on the 22 July 2025, marking another important milestone in supporting women-led businesses across Sub-Saharan Africa. Over the course of 12 weeks, 30 selected women entrepreneurs participated in a rich and dynamic learning journey designed to strengthen and scale their businesses.
The 2025 cohort included women entrepreneurs from 12 Sub-Saharan African countries, a diverse and committed cohort, including the BIC Africa’s target countries: Angola, Comoros, Ethiopia, Madagascar, and Somalia. The selection was made from over 170 applications, reflecting the growing demand for high-quality entrepreneurial support.
This year’s edition featured 12 hours interactive online sessions delivered between May and July 2025, covering core topics on financial management, marketing strategies, business storytelling, pitching techniques, leadership and time management led by female experts in the field of entrepreneurship and business profession from Africa, Europe and beyond. The participants had also engaged in four group coaching sessions, peer-to-peer exchanges, and practical assignments, all tailored to their unique entrepreneurial and business contexts.
The programme not only enhanced participants’ business acumen but also helped them sharpen their business by improving their value propositions, improve operational strategies, financial management, and connect with a wider community of entrepreneurs, experts, and mentors.
Additionally, participants explored practical strategies to help their startups make informed financial decisions, revised business, and marketing strategies to improve for growth, and manage challenges and business risks effectively. Some of the participants have already reported meaningful progress in their ventures, including increased visibility, stronger customer outreach, and readiness for scale ups and investment by taking up these learnings.
Representing The Bees Hive Academy, this journey has been both empowering and transformative. Grateful to the BIC Africa project, EBN – European Business & Innovation Centre Network and European Union for investing in women-led businesses across the continent. I walk away from this program with new tools, stronger networks, and a renewed commitment to building inclusive, sustainable solutions for early childhood and special needs education in Botswana.
Ontifile Gaokgorwe, Founder of Bees Hive Academy, Botswana
In addition to live sessions, high-performing entrepreneurs had engaged in one-on-one mentoring with seasoned European business support experts and gained exclusive access to BIC Africa’s alumni network and similar projects like IYBA WE4A, where knowledge exchange and visibility opportunities continue to grow. 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.
I’m proud to be part of and complete the BIC Africa Acceleration Programme for Female Entrepreneurs 2025! From the first empowering session to the final mentorship call, this journey has transformed how I see myself as a leader and how I’m building EmpowerRise Hub Somalia’s first fully women-led innovation and technology centre. I’m deeply grateful to those who stood beside me during this journey.
Mushtaq Muhudin, founder of EmpowerRise Hub, Somalia
BIC Africa Online Acceleration Programme for Women Entrepreneurs has been an incredible adventure in my entrepreneurial journey. Through several weeks of intensive training, coaching, and networking, I gained much more than strategies for developing and growing my business in a sustainable way: it boosted my self-confidence and inspired me as a woman entrepreneur. I am deeply grateful to the amazing coaches who guided us and to my fellow women entrepreneurs who inspired me every step of the way.
Anita Sarah RABEMANANTSOA, founder of Event +, Madagascar
Together, we shared knowledge, challenges, and dreams – and I finish this program more confident and motivated than ever.
Since 2021, BIC Africa with successful five editions together with our partners, have been able to support and equip 145 innovative women entrepreneurs through this flagship programme with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate and grow their business. Many of these women entrepreneurs have promptly been able to significantly improve their business operations and even secure funding.
During the closing networking session of this year’s cohort, we received positive feedback from the participants of the programme. The women entrepreneurs also had a chance to discuss in breakout rooms the next step for their businesses, and two of them were selected to pitch their business during the session. Finally, some of the BIC Africa Country Projects were presented with the aim to connect the women entrepreneurs to local partners and incubators in their respective countries, and also opportunities from other EU-funded initiatives were presented, such as the IYBA WE4A programme.
This year’s programme underscores BIC Africa’s ongoing contribution in empowering women entrepreneurs to scale their business, foster job creation, and contribute to the sustainable development across the continent. The 2025 edition has once again demonstrated the potential of African women entrepreneurs to innovate, lead, and contribute to sustainable economic development in their regions.
A special gratitude to our financial partner, the European Union and thanks to those who have supported this year’s cohort, most importantly to our trainers, coaches, mentors from Europe and beyond, and the country projects. 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 about their business here