Naspers and Prosus Launch Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge to Empower Women-Led Startups
Following a successful pilot in India earlier this year, the initiative underscores the companies’ commitment to empowering female founders and bridging the gender gap in technology entrepreneurship.
Global technology groups Naspers and Prosus have officially launched the Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge, a programme designed to support women-led tech and tech-enabled startups across the African continent. Following a successful pilot in India earlier this year, the initiative underscores the companies’ commitment to empowering female founders and bridging the gender gap in technology entrepreneurship.
Research shows that women account for 26% of Africa’s entrepreneurs, yet female-led startups receive less than 3% of venture capital funding, with a $42 billion funding gap. Addressing this gap could unlock up to $316 billion in GDP growth. Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, South Africa CEO and Executive Director of Naspers and Prosus, emphasized that the Tech FoundHER Challenge aims to provide women founders with the capital, networks, and market access needed to scale, driving growth and innovation across communities and the broader continent.
The programme offers three equity-free grants totaling US$100,000 to outstanding women founders in Africa, alongside access to senior mentors, curated networking opportunities, and enhanced visibility. Participants will also receive expert feedback from a high-calibre panel of executives, investors, and business leaders. Six shortlisted finalists will have the unique opportunity to present their ventures at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on 19 November 2025, coinciding with Global Women’s Entrepreneurship Day.
Prajna Khanna, Chief Sustainability Officer at Naspers and Prosus, highlighted the importance of combining access, capability, and visibility for women founders. The programme is being run in partnership with Lionesses of Africa, a growing network of 1.8 million women entrepreneurs, providing participants with resources, funding opportunities, and a platform to share their business stories.
Eligible applicants must be tech or tech-enabled startups with at least one-woman founder in a leadership position, be at or before Series B funding stage, and have revenue-generating operations with proven market traction. Applications opened on 1 September 2025 via the Lionesses of Africa website, with submissions reviewed in two rounds before six finalists advance to the final stage, where winners will be announced.
