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Her Startup Offers Women Founders Paid Training, Stipends With Equity Terms Attached
Her Startup Offers Women Founders Paid Training, Stipends With Equity Terms Attached
Nigerian women running technology-enabled businesses can apply by October 26.
Applicants must have earned at least $500 in each of the preceding six months.
Training fees are covered, but participation requires an equity agreement.
Business financing is competitive and repayable, rather than a guaranteed grant.
October 16, () – Nigerian women entrepreneurs can apply for Her Startup’s second accelerator cohort, which offers paid-for training, a monthly stipend, and an opportunity to pitch for business financing. Applications close on October 26, 2026.
However, founders should examine two separate commitments before accepting a place.
Joining the Founder Institute training programme requires an equity agreement, while any subsequent financing offered through Her Startup would carry repayment obligations.
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The programme brings together KSH Foundation, Tomorrow Foundation, and EHA Impact Ventures, with training delivered by Founder Institute.
Its cohort announcement promises 12 weeks of training with fees covered, alongside a monthly stipend whose value is not specified.
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Who Can Apply for the Accelerator
Applicants must present proven monthly revenue and a functional tech product Source Tech In Africa
Women founders, cofounders, and chief executives aged 18–35 qualify for consideration. Their businesses must be based in Africa, including Nigeria, use technology, and have a minimum viable product or an existing product on the market.
Applicants also need an established sales record. The application asks for at least $500 in revenue in each of the previous six months, rather than simply a six-month average of that amount. Selected founders must commit at least 20 hours weekly to the programme.
That makes the opportunity more suitable for businesses already serving customers than founders still developing an idea without sales. The organisers’ FAQ says up to 10 founders will be selected.
Understanding the Financing and Equity Terms
Founders must review equity terms and revenue based repayment clauses before signing Source Getty Images
Successful participants can pitch to an investment committee for convertible revenue-based financing. Repayments would be linked to business revenue.
“We chose a convertible, revenue-based loan,” cofounder Evelyn Castle says in the announcement. The release does not specify the repayment percentage, repayment cap, or conversion terms. Those details would determine the cost and potential ownership implications for a recipient.
Selection for training does not guarantee investment. According to the organisers, the pilot attracted more than 200 applications from 18 countries, selected 10 founders for training, and funded three ventures at its April 2025 pitch event.
Separately, the application requires acknowledgment that selected participants must sign Founder Institute’s equity agreement.
The form does not disclose the equity percentage or provide the agreement’s full terms. Founders should obtain that document before committing.
Applications go through the official Her Startup portal. Required documents include identification, company registration records showing the applicant’s role, six months of revenue evidence, and a pitch deck of no more than 15 slides.
Bank statements, invoices, or management accounts can support the revenue requirement. No application fee is stated on the form.
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