She Leads Africa has selected five of Africa’s most talented female technology entrepreneurs for the exclusive Huawei – She Leads Africa Fellowship Program. Sponsored by global telecommunications giant Huawei, the five entrepreneurs will travel to Shenzhen and Shanghai to visit China’s exciting technology companies, meet with young technology entrepreneurs and learn about how they can turn their businesses into a global technology powerhouse.
Fellows were selected from a pool of up to 300 applicants from across Africa and the diaspora. “We were so impressed with the quality and creativity of the applications we received. The startups we selected demonstrated a clear problem they were solving, an innovative solution and how going to China would help them take a critical next step in their businesses” explained She Leads Africa co-founder Yasmin Belo-Osagie.
The five selected startups:
me: A South African mobile application and platform that engages learners with homework on their mobile phones and smart devices to reinforce learning out of the classroom.
Ujirani: A Kenya based mobile app that improves communication between neighbors providing faster access to emergency response services.
Sunze Tech: Cote d’Ivoire startup that provides cheaper, reliable and sustainable energy solutions via LED panels and modular solar kits.
Shule Direct: Tanzanian online platform for secondary school students and teachers geared towards seamless educational learning.
Book1Car: Moroccan car rental platform providing customer with the best car rental options saving the customer both time and money
The Huawei-She Leads Africa Fellowship is the first program to provide African female technology entrepreneurs the opportunity to visit China and connect with industry leaders. China is the fastest growing market in the world for technology and according to Bloomberg Business now boasts more than 1,600 tech incubators and investment companies with more than $56 billion in capital. China can serve as a model for technology growth and development for African entrepreneurs and Huawei has served as a pioneer in this area.
This is just one of several She Leads Africa’s programs to support and invest in high growth female entrepreneurs. Young women interested in learning more about these opportunities and joining the She Leads Africa community can join here.
She Leads Africa is a social enterprise dedicated to supporting high growth female entrepreneurs on the continent. The organisation has been featured on CNBC Africa, Black Enterprise and Fox Business and its co-founders were named by Forbes as two of the 20 youngest power women in Africa (2014).