By encouraging female entrepreneurs in the ICT industry, FCMB is making an investment in the future of Nigeria. Applications for the bank’s new HERccelerate accelerator program are now being accepted by women-led businesses in a variety of industries.
The chosen participants will benefit from financial support as well as other important resources to help them expand their companies and strengthen Nigeria’s IT sector.
The program’s application deadline is September 30, 2024. This program, which is run by the 8thGear Centre and Venture Studio and is supported by the Bank’s SheVentures and Hub One innovation center, aims to provide women-founded firms with the networks, expertise, and resources they need to get finance and expand sustainably.
Continuing, in-depth instruction will be provided to participants, along with office hours, field trips to prosperous neighbourhood firms, and networking opportunities with seasoned founders.
Access to networks, markets, investors, resources, and information is made possible by this all-inclusive support system.
The accelerator will end with a showcase day when the winners will have access to potential investors as well as grant funds and other interesting perks.
The Managing Director of FCMB, Mrs. Yemisi Edun, made the following statement regarding the HERccelerate contest: “This initiative underscores our commitment to nurturing innovation and empowering women-owned businesses, especially Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in the tech space, to pursue their dreams and contribute significantly to the tech ecosystem and the country’s economic development. We recognize the challenges women-owned tech businesses face, from funding gaps to biases that limit their growth. The HERccelerate contest is our platform to foster innovation and create more funding opportunities for female-owned and led ventures. We encourage women entrepreneurs to seize this opportunity to make a lasting impact.”
In recent years, Nigeria’s tech scene has grown remarkably, with several female-led firms achieving notable success in a variety of industries. They still have to deal with several obstacles, such as finance availability, which prevents them from growing.
Less than 6% of venture capital investments in 2023 went to companies run by women, BrandSpur business and economy news reports.
To promote a more diverse and fair tech environment, FCMB hopes to support and accelerate over 200 women-founded tech firms over the next five years through the HERccelerate program.
