Africa

Mentorship program

WeConnect: Cross-Regional Mentorship for Women in Agri and Fintech Africa meets MENA

3 months program September-December 2024
Overview

The WeConnect Mentorship Program initiative of Womenpreneur & SANAD’s Entrepreneurship Academy aims at fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange between advanced-stage founders from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and early-stage female founders from the Middle East-North Africa (MENA) region. This program seeks to leverage the wealth of experience and expertise developed by SSA tech start-ups to empower and support female entrepreneurs in Agritech and fintech sectors across MENA.

Program Objectives
  1. Knowledge Transfer: Enable experienced founders from SSA to share their insights, strategies, and lessons learned in areas such as securing funding, overcoming regulatory challenges, scaling operations, and driving innovation with mentees from MENA.
  2. Empowerment:Empower early-stage female entrepreneurs in the MENA region by providing them with tailored mentorship and guidance from successful counterparts in SSA. This mentorship aims to equip mentees with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate challenges and accelerate the growth of their ventures.
  3. Cross-Regional Cooperation:Promote collaboration and partnerships between tech ecosystems in SSA and MENA, fostering mutual learning, innovation, and sustainable business practices.
Meet our Mentors and Mentees
Program Activities
August

Registration form: Mentees are invited to apply. Profile: Early-stage female founders in agritech and fintech sectors established in MENA region, seeking mentorship to navigate the initial stages of their entrepreneurial journey in agritech and fintech. Matching Process: Mentors and mentees will be paired based on industry alignment, specific business challenges, and mentorship preferences to ensure effective guidance and meaningful interactions.

September to December

Virtual Mentorship Sessions: Mentors will schedule bi-monthly meetings with their mentees, with each session lasting one hour. The timing of these sessions will be coordinated based on mutual availability and individual schedules.

The mentorship program will focus on guiding mentees through one of the following key topics:

  • Assessing the business model for sustainability and growth.
  • Strategies for fundraising and securing investment.
  • Techniques to attract and maintain investor interest.
  • Understanding the dynamics of local, regional, and global markets within the sector.
  • Approaches for effectively reaching and engaging clients with limited tech literacy.
  • Building a robust network of industry experts in finance or agriculture.
  • Developing strategies to differentiate and position oneself effectively in the competitive landscape.
  • Other topic identified by the pair.
December

Group Activity: At the culmination of the program, an engaging 1h30 min online group session will be organized to foster team building and facilitate the exchange of experiences among all participants. This activity aims to strengthen connections formed during the mentorship journey, allowing mentors and mentees to share insights, lessons learned, and celebrate collective achievements. The session will provide a collaborative space where participants can reflect on their growth, discuss challenges overcome, and explore opportunities for future collaboration and continued support within the tech entrepreneurship community across SSA and MENA.

Deadline 6th of September