The SAIS Female Founder Award is an initiative led by “Scaling Digital Agriculture Innovations through Start-ups” (SAIS), a project implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The overarching vision of SAIS is to revolutionize food systems by becoming the premier community for technology ventures in the developing world. The start-ups supported by SAIS are required to offer solutions that contribute to income growth, enhance nutrition, or facilitate adaptation to climate change.
Through the SAIS Female Founder Award, the initiative aims to enhance the visibility of female-led start-ups and foster a more equitable and dynamic landscape for female founders to emerge as influential figures in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The ultimate goal is to empower female entrepreneurs to scale their ventures significantly and potentially achieve unicorn status, thereby making a substantial impact on Africa’s economic development.
The SAIS Female Founder Award is a prestigious recognition conferred by the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University. This award is designed to honor and support female entrepreneurs who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and impact in their respective fields.
Established to promote gender equality and empower women in entrepreneurship, the SAIS Female Founder Award seeks to highlight the achievements of female founders and provide them with resources and support to further their ventures. Recipients of this award are typically individuals who have shown remarkable dedication, resilience, and creativity in launching and growing their businesses.
The SAIS Female Founder Award is often accompanied by financial assistance, mentorship opportunities, and access to networking events and resources aimed at helping recipients take their businesses to the next level. Additionally, the award serves as a platform for raising awareness about the importance of gender diversity and inclusion in entrepreneurship and inspiring other women to pursue their entrepreneurial aspirations.
Through the SAIS Female Founder Award, SAIS reaffirms its commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where women can thrive and succeed in the competitive world of entrepreneurship. By recognizing and celebrating the achievements of female founders, SAIS aims to contribute to the advancement of women’s leadership and economic empowerment worldwide.
Requirements For The SAIS Female Founder Award
To be eligible for the SAIS Female Founder Award, you must meet the following conditions:
Founder
- You are an African female who (co)founded and runs a start-up / growth stage business.
- You should have technical experience in your area of operation.
Impact
- You promote female visionary leadership, support other female leaders and contribute to women’s economic empowerment.
- You are fostering a culture that values diversity.
- Your work has a positive impact on solving an important problem in the industry.
- You contribute to start-up ecosystem development.
Team
- Your start-up has a team of at least three people (including yourself as a founder) who work full time for the start-up.
Digital product/ service
- Your product/service is digital or has a strong digital component.
- Your product is offering an impactful solution in the AgTech, FoodTech or ClimateTech sectors in Africa.
Legal form:
- Your business is registered and operates on the African continent.
- Your business has an official certificate of registration.
Market access and traction
- Your company has been registered at least 2 years before submitting the application.
- Your start-up Must have clear evidence of traction (customer base, revenue).
Business model
- You have a unique value proposition in the market(s) where you operate.
- Your start-up should have an understandable and convincing business model (clear problem statement and defined customer segment).
Benefits
- The award recognizes African female founders with unique businesses that have a strong digital component and embrace social impact. We honor, support and celebrate your ambition by offering unique opportunities for visibility and further development of your business.
- The award ceremony for the SAIS Female Founder Award 2024 takes place at VivaTech in Paris on 22- 25 May 2024 in the form of a pitching competition. The three selected winners will be travelling to Paris to attend the event in person. Our prestigious jury will announce the winners’ rankings during an on-stage ceremony.
- The three winners will win in-kind support worth up to 30,000€ for the first place, up to 15,000€ for the second place, and up to 7,000€ for the third place. This in-kind support can be vouchers and various tailored services to best boost their business, including:
- Vouchers for special expenses (e.g. online trainings, software licenses, and other services).
Services:
- Personalized coaching sessions with local and international experts based on individual needs. For example, marketing, investor relations and pitching to further increase visibility.
- Facilitation of meaningful connections for your business development and potential scaling vision by providing local ecosystem integration
- Round trip airfare to Paris and accommodation for the entire stay at VivaTech 2024
- Introduction and involvement to SAIS Female Leader Circle Community wherein women in the start-up ecosystem participate from Inputs sessions with experts from different areas and peer-to-peer exchange sessions. These monthly meetings serve as a platform for insightful discussions, networking opportunities, and skill development tailored to the unique challenges faced by women in the entrepreneurial realm.
- SAIS Female Founder Award Certificate and a seal for your website to recognize your business
Application Deadline: February 29, 2024.
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