MEST, in partnership with Make-IT-in-Africa is pleased to announce the first cohort of the Tech By Her accelerator program. The initiative, which was launched earlier this year, called for female technology founders in Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya to apply for one of the ten slots available for a 3-month intensive accelerator program for technology-based start-ups.
Over 500 founders applied during the two month application period. The top candidates went through a two-stage shortlisting process which included an interview with a panel of experts and leading entrepreneurs in the field. In evaluating the selected candidates, panellists considered the profile of the founders, their businesses as early-stage tech startups that have achieved commercialization and monetization phase with a demonstrated potential to scale, and the innovative use of a business model that incorporates social impact.