Global technology giants, Naspers and Prosus have launched theTech FoundHER Africa Challenge. The initiative offers equity-free grants totalling $100 000 to support and accelerate women-led tech and tech-enabled startups across the African continent.
Three founders will be selected to receive the grants, with additional benefits including access to mentorship, business exposure, and strategic networking opportunities. The initiative follows a successful rollout of the programme in India earlier this year and reflects the company’ ongoing commitment to empowering underrepresented founders in the tech ecosystem.
“The Tech FoundHER Challenge is about closing one of Africa’s most urgent gaps in entrepreneurship - the lack of funding and visibility for women-led startups,” said Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, South Africa CEO and Executive Director of Naspers and Prosus. “Female founders are already proving that they can build competitive, tech-enabled businesses that drive growth and innovation. What they need now is the capital, networks, and market access to scale.”
Closing Africa’s $42 Billion Gender Funding Gap
The launch of the programme comes against a backdrop of stark statistics: women account for only 26% of entrepreneurs in Africa and receive less than 3% of venture capital (VC) funding. According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), the gender finance gap in Africa is estimated at $42 billion and closing it could unlock as much as $316 billion in GDP growth for the continent.
The Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge is aimed at tackling this gap by identifying high-potential women-led ventures and helping them scale. The programme is being run in partnership with Lionesses of Africa, a leading network for female entrepreneurs on the continent. With a community of more than 1.8 million women entrepreneurs, the organisation offers access to resources, funding opportunities, and a platform to share their business stories.
In addition to the $100 000 equity-free funding, the selected participants will gain:
Mentorship from senior leaders within the Naspers-Prosus network
Curated networking opportunities, and enhanced brand visibility
Business exposure through pitch sessions and feedback from a panel of executives, investors, and industry leaders
The six shortlisted founders will present their solutions 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 said:
“For women founders to succeed, access, capability, and visibility must come together. At Naspers and Prosus, we know strategic interventions are essential – and this challenge is designed to give proven women-led startups the platform, connections, and confidence to scale sustainably. After a successful launch in India, we are thrilled to bring the Tech FoundHER Challenge to Africa and unlock the extraordinary innovation and talent the continent has to offer.”
How to Apply for the Tech FoundHer Challenge 2025
Applications are currently open via the Lionesses of Africa website. To apply for the Tech FoundHer Challenge, startups must meet the following criteria:
Be focused on tech or tech-enabled products/solutions
Have at least one woman in a founder, co-founder or senior leadership position
Be in pre- or Series B funding stage
Be revenue-generating with proven market traction
Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of executives, investors, and entrepreneurs over two rounds. Following that, six finalists will be selected to advance to the final stage on 19 November 2025, where winners will be announced.
Naspers and Prosus: A Continued Commitment to African Innovation
The challenge forms part of a broader strategy by Naspers and Prosus to back innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa. To date, Naspers has invested over R700 million in local ventures, supporting ventures such as Naked Insurance, Nile, and LifeCheq.
Meanwhile, Prosus - one of the world’s largest technology investors - has an extensive global investment footprint, particularly in food delivery, payments and fintech, edtech, and online classifieds. Its portfolio includes investments in platforms such as OLX, Property24, Udemy and Tencent.
The Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge reflects the group’s intention to not only invest in promising businesses but also actively address systemic barriers that inhibit inclusive economic growth.
“By backing women-led startups, we are not only empowering individual entrepreneurs but unlocking economic opportunities that benefit entire communities and the continent at large,” Mahanyele-Dabengwa added.
Lungile is the Digital Editor for Startup.Africa, with a knack for storytelling, technology and innovative ideas. Working with Startup.Africa, she takes simple ideas and turns them into amazing stories.
Grindstone Ventures and the Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC) have announced the first participant of their female founder funding programme: Chicken
Lungile Msomi
