About the opportunity
What this programme is offering
The Pitch n Grow is AWIEF's flagship annual women entrepreneurship pitch competition programme, designed to identify, develop, and amplify the most promising women-led ventures across Africa.
Through mentorship, training, visibility, and access to opportunities, the programme empowers founders to accelerate their growth and expand their impact.
Idea Track
Pre-venture — a compelling concept with problem understanding
✓No minimum revenue required
✓Prototype / proof-of-concept ready
✓Under 18 months of operation
✓Solo founder or small core team (<5)
Startup Track
Early-stage — launched venture with active users / customers
✓Revenue generated
✓Formally registered business entity
✓Operating history: 6 months to 3 years
✓Dedicated core founding team (>2)
Scale-Up Track
Growth-stage — proven product-market fit, scaling regionally
✓Revenue >$500K or institutional funding
✓Active expansion in 2+ African countries
✓Operating history: 3+ years
✓Team size: >5 full-time employees.
Requirements
✓Applicant must identify as a woman founder or co-founder
✓Mixed-gender founding teams are welcome, but the pitching presenter must be a woman co-founder
✓Citizen, resident, or registered operator in one of the African countries
✓Venture built around a deep technology core (2026 theme)
✓Founder must be 18 years of age or older
✓Venture primarily serves or targets African localized markets
✓Founder commits to attending the pitch Finals at the AWIEF2026 Conference if selected
Disqualifying Factors
×No technology component (e.g. pure offline retail, manual agency services)
×Venture based entirely outside Africa with zero African operational reach
×The female lead applicant is not a registered legal owner / founder
How to apply