Country Spotlight / Mozambique
For the past few years, Mozambique has seen a new generation of women entrepreneurs emerging onto the business scene, creating vibrant businesses across a range of sectors. Each one is making their mark in their own way. But what they share in common is a passion for the businesses they are creating, ambition for the brands they are launching, and a desire to create opportunities and jobs for local people. These true Lionesses of Africa are not just showcasing their own unique products and services to the world, getting consumers interested in buying what they have to offer, but they are also putting Mozambique on the map and stimulating interest from across the continent.
This month, we invite you to meet some of Mozambique’s women entrepreneurs who represent this new vanguard of female business building talent in the country. Their businesses and brands are diverse, ranging from commodity value added products such as tea, through to cutting edge tech companies, cosmetics brands, media services, transportation companies, fashion manufacturing businesses, food producers, and so much more. Read about them and get know these amazing women entrepreneurs through their startup stories, and then go and experience Maputo’s vibrant entrepreneurial scene for yourselves.
Startup Story
Cláudia Machaieie is the founder of Sea Glasses in Mozambique. She is a 28-year-old with a degree in Marine Biology, a postgraduate degree in Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship, and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Biology and Conservation Ecology. She has completed several technical courses in monitoring and project management. She began her activity as a volunteer and social activist at the age of 14 and is currently a founding volunteer of SOA Mozambique and a volunteer with Solo Adventures. She has worked in public (IIP), private (SEPPA, Centro Terra Viva), and international organizations (Girl Move Academy, UN - World Food Programme) developing activities in administration, monitoring, and management of humanitarian and environmental programs. Currently, she is the social responsibility coordinator at TOPACK Mozambique.
Startup Story
Matilde Mawelele Rungo is a digital transformation consultant, cybersecurity specialist, and founder of RealityTech Advisory in Mozambique, where she leads technology-driven projects for businesses and startups. She is also an evangelist and the creator of MTI – A Triad of Hope for Children, an initiative that integrates Evangelism, Technology, and Innovation to empower young people and communities. With a global vision, Matilde is committed to advancing individuals, organizations, and ecosystems through technology, faith, and meaningful social impact. The business was launched in 2024 and today has created jobs for 6 people.
Startup Story
Yanara Tavares Viana is an engineer and project manager with over 15 years of experience in procurement, finance, and the development of sustainable solutions. Founder of Vila Viana, an ecological and agro-productive housing project in Catembe, she creates urban models that integrate solar energy, water harvesting and reuse, family farming, and micro-animal farming. Her vision is to combine accessible architecture with practical sustainability, inspiring communities to build in a greener, more resilient, and income-generating way. Yanara is dedicated to developing smart urban solutions for the future of Mozambique and the region.
Startup Story
Isabel Mandofa is the founder of Tropicalisa, Lda, a Mozambican agri-food industry business focused on the sustainable transformation of local fruits into high-value-added products. It operates an integrated chain that buys surplus from small producers, processes, freezes and distributes fruit pulps, natural juices, syrups, sauces and frozen fruits, guaranteeing standardized quality, traceability and food safety. Tropicalisa’s core business is to make the most of national fruit, reduce post-harvest losses and supply the market during the off-season, providing practical, healthy and competitive solutions for supermarkets, restaurants, confectioneries, ice cream parlors, hotels and end consumers.
Startup Story
With two decades of experience, Mirza Jamal is a recognized professional in the areas of strategic marketing, corporate communications, and public relations, with a career marked by innovation, leadership, and social impact. As founder and ceo of MJ Consulting in Mozambique, she works to develop creative and accessible solutions for strengthening brands, empowering entrepreneurs, and promoting purposeful events.
Startup Story
Kelly Jean Ouchim Valigy is a dynamic marketing and creative professional with a strong background in strategic planning and communications. As the Founder & General Director of Jean Consulting & Services in Mozambique, she leads a forward-thinking team that delivers creative marketing solutions tailored to help brands stand out in competitive markets. With extensive experience in marketing and copy editing, Kelly has successfully navigated roles in account management, community engagement, and content creation. Her expertise spans various industries, where she has spearheaded branding initiatives, digital marketing strategies, and impactful campaigns.
Startup Story
Schneidine Phidelmond is the founder and Creative Explorer of MUSA Moz MEDIA, a holistic digital agency founded in 2022 and based in Mozambique. With over a decade of experience in media, including skills in sound engineering, audiovisual production, graphic design, and branding, she launched MUSA to support women entrepreneurs and small businesses in Southern Africa and the Afro-Caribbean diaspora. Multilingual and self-taught, Schneidine offers a sensitive and multidisciplinary approach to digital visibility and content creation. MUSA embodies her belief that creativity, culture, and sisterhood can fuel sustainable growth and inspiration. MUSA stands for: Mission, Ubuntu, Sorority, and Authenticity.
Startup Story
Adelia Nicole Tique Massangaie is the founder of Indico Fish Farm. EI in Mozambique, where she is currently setting up her Nile Tilapia Production and Processing Unit. She has a degree in Marine Biology from Eduardo Mondlane University and is currently studying for a Master's degree in Population and Development. Prior to starting her business, she worked as a Research Assistant at the Natural History Museum in the area of marine and aquatic animal collections and also as a Zootechnician at Machado Knowhow in the area of animal production. Her business plan, which focused on Nile Tilapia Production and Processing, was the winner of the Agora Emprega 2023 Program at the national level in Maputo Province.
Startup Story
Fátima Armando Ernesto is the founder of Faes in Mozambique, a digital graphics and t-shirt sales business specialising in creating t-shirts to each customer's taste. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, she was a Road and Bridge Construction Technician at IIM, Public Relations and Leadership Technician at Wake Up, Aspirant at Rotaract Clube de Maputo, and worked as a Site Clerk at SS Construção where she provided services in the following roles: Archivist (Management and control of files), Assistant to the Warehouse Manager of the main Shipyard, Responsible for diesel control (purchase and sale), Formwork Clerk (Rent, purchase and sale of material).
Startup Story
Celestina Langa is the founder and ceo of Nutrekaya CL,Su, Ltd in Mozambique, a company dedicated to agro-processing and the valorization of local food products, with a focus on dietary health and nutritional well-being. Her entrepreneurial trajectory is marked by a strong dedication to the development of innovative and sustainable solutions in the food sector. Celestina has a degree in Food Sciences from the Pedagogical University of Mozambique and, throughout her career, has continually dedicated herself to expanding her knowledge and skills. She is currently completing her Master of Business in the Street (MBS) at Interweave Solutions Academy, which has provided her with strategic vision and improved skills in business management, further strengthening her profile as an entrepreneur and leader.
Startup Story
Mercia Bie, founder of Sabor Caseiro 2A in Mozambique is building an agri-processing business where each seasoning tells a story and each dish is an experience. Her mission is to bring natural flavor and authenticity to customers' tables, whether at home or at special events. Mercia’s vision is to create a line of seasonings that not only enhance the flavor of dishes, but also make a nutritional contribution to our lives. The company’s brand values focus on ethics and transparency, appreciation and involvement in human capital, respect and trust in customers.
Startup Story
Irina Samade is the founder and floral designer at Frangipani Flores in Mozambique. She has been working with Floral Art for 15 years having taken a number of specialist floral arrangement courses in Portugal, Brazil, USA and Mozambique. Her passion for flowers started very early with her mother growing violets in their garden. Then, unconsciously, she started toying with making floral arrangements for family and friends' birthdays, but at that time was very far from thinking about being a florist or opening a floristry business. However, all that changed with the launch of her floral design business, Frangipani Flores in 2014. Today, she remains curious in this specialist area of floral design and is constantly inspired by the work of renowned florists around the world.
Startup Story
Isabel Messias Tonela is a young Mozambican entrepreneur and the founder of SBEL & Farinhas, SU, LDA, a company focused on processing tubers for the production of flour and Chips. The company was founded in 2024 and is in its embryonic phase after Isabel won the Business Plan Competition implemented by (SEJE), through INJ and with the support of the World Bank. She is also a final year student on the Aquatic and Coastal Marine Biology course at Eduardo Mondlane University.
Startup Story
Handmade Moz is a Mozambican accessory brand founded by creative entrepreneur Sinna Duarta, that focuses on the design, manufacture and marketing of a unique range of handmade jewellery and handbags. She uses Capulana as the fabric source of inspiration for many of her unique pieces, something that resonates with her local customers.
Startup Story
Adelia Nicole Tique Massangaie is the founder of Indico Fish Farm. EI in Mozambique, where she is currently setting up her Nile Tilapia Production and Processing Unit. She has a degree in Marine Biology from Eduardo Mondlane University and is currently studying for a Master's degree in Population and Development. Prior to starting her business, she worked as a Research Assistant at the Natural History Museum in the area of marine and aquatic animal collections and also as a Zootechnician at Machado Knowhow in the area of animal production. Her business plan, which focused on Nile Tilapia Production and Processing, was the winner of the Agora Emprega 2023 Program at the national level in Maputo Province.
Startup Story
Born and raised in Maputo, Mozambique, Yolanda Isabel Langa is the founder of Yo-Ecológico, an eco-business that innovates with “seed paper,” a recycled product that includes seeds from flowers, spices, and vegetables. Her company offers eco-friendly products such as gifts and invitations, and is expanding with personalized planners, sustainable keychains made from seed paper with rings, and chains made from recycled plastic bottles. Yolanda combines her entrepreneurial experience with a passion for sustainability to make a meaningful difference in the world. Yolanda is about to graduate from Eduardo Mondlane University with a degree in Public Administration. In addition to her academic career, Yolanda is also an active volunteer at an NGO focused on education, health, and the environment.
Startup Story
Jusaina Violanda is the founder of Nandzika Garden Center in Mozambique, a business dedicated to bringing nature closer to people’s lives through beautiful plants, green decor, and professional landscaping. She uses the power of plants at her garden center to help her customers create beautiful personal spaces and environments that enhance lives and fulfill the emotional need to be closer to nature.
Startup Story
Marta Uetela is the founder of Baaike in Mozambique, a studio dedicated to designing and constructing bicycles from plastic waste collected from the ocean, Marta is on a mission to offer alternatives to conventional transportation while raising awareness about the environmental impact of plastic pollution in our oceans. She is a product design engineer and a solutions-oriented entrepreneur with a deep passion for product design and alternative manufacturing systems. She believes in the potential of Generation Z and the transformative power of design and engineering to rethink and reshape a more sustainable world.
Startup Story
Afifah Zualo is an artisan (multi-artist) entrepreneur and the founder of M'Kono in Mozambique. She trained in Railway Engineering, but today sees the design of ethnic-contemporary jewellery as a way of codifying feelings and expressing Mozambican identity. Her Mozambican start-up seeks to honour cultural traditions while innovating in design and technique. A Leader and Social Innovator, Afifah employs a single employee, but her startup generates income for six other participants in her community who participate in the business passively. She believes in a world in which all women are respected and have justice for their efforts returned and aspires to conquer the world with her work.
Startup Story
Exclusive Crochet is a crafts-based start-up founded by Benedita Macuácua in Mozambique. An entrepreneur and graphic designer, her company specializes in creating sustainable products using recycled materials such as knitted yarn, fabric scraps, and recycled soles. The company was inspired by the need to combat the accumulation of rubbish in Maputo, transforming solid waste into durable, quality crochet pieces. Benedita’s focus with her business is on the circular economy and promoting conscious consumption, offering a variety of products such as flip-flops, bags, beach cover-ups, and other items, each carrying a unique story and an artistic design that impresses with its beauty and positive environmental impact.
Startup Story
Gisela Leonor Monteiro is the founder of Sublime Produtos Cosmeticos Naturais in Mozambique, a business dedicated to the production of 100% natural cosmetics and artisanal perfumes. Having completed a hotel and tourism course as a student, she embarked on her entrepreneurship journey when she was 26 years old after taking cooking courses, cooking for events, and providing meals to companies close to her area of residence. She worked in several businesses, including catering, event promotion, culinary training, and clothing sales, always with the dream of becoming a businesswoman. Her entrepreneurial journey kickstarted after participating in business management and financial education courses, undertaking transformational training at IDEIALAB, the FEMTECH training program, FÓRMULA MILIONÁRIA and OFFICINA DE NEGÓCIOS with coach Arcelio Tivane.
Startup Story
Sandra Kourouma is the founder of Millkappas Multiservices and the "SK Escolinha de Futebol e Futsal Project" in Mozambique. She is an experienced entrepreneur and has certificates for trainer courses and trainer instructors. Sandra's business is focused on for society football and futsal for women and young girls and briefly for child girls. She founded the business 4 years ago and employs according to the needs of the event, but few women join the work for this type of event. She has 15 years of certification and experience in football training and more than 10 years in organizing sporting events that she started as a volunteer.
Startup Story
Irina Samade is the Founder and Designer of the Rawá brand in Mozambique. She has worked to build this brand for the past 4 years, and in addition to Rawá, she is also the Founder and Floral Designer of Frangipani Flores. She has worked in this area of business for 15 years and is now a 41 year old entrepreneur. Irina is passionate about flowers and the idea of being able to use natural resources in art, consciously using what nature offers and discards.
Startup Story
Arline Ferrão is the founder and managing partner of Kasunga, a 100% Mozambican company and brand, committed to sustainability, offering personalized reusable bags and bags, produced with exceptional care, combining environmentally friendly materials and traditional African fabrics. Well-being and sustainability, in its environmental, social and human components, are at the center of its actions on different fronts. In addition to Kasunga, Arline is a psychologist focused on the area of mental health and well-being at work.
Startup Story
Sabine Lydia Müller is the founder of Tchambalakate Comércio e Serviços Soc.Unip., Lda in Mozambique. She is passionate about regenerative organic agriculture, agroforestry, Mozambique, and the decolonization of Africa. Through her self-employed work as consultant in Germany and Mozambique, her involvement in various publications, and in organic certifications, Sabine aims to share knowledge and best practices on how to improve the resilience and sustainability of food systems and ecosystems. She believes in the peaceful coexistence of nature and human beings, and strives to make a positive impact with her work. As a Communications Manager with over 17 years of experience in PR, social media, and brand marketing, Sabine leverages her skills and network to raise awareness and support for her clients’ projects and initiatives.
Startup Story
Nilza Mazive is the co-founder of Xiphefu Digital Ligth, Lda, a green energy business developing solutions to help consumers reduce energy costs in Mozambique. The business develops solutions to help consumers reduce energy costs, acting on electrical equipment to avoid wasting electrical current. The business also adds the solar component, offers a range of internal and external lamps, and installs solar systems.
Startup Story
Elisa Marcos Ouana is the founder of Mozambican upcycled accessory brand, Ariel EcoArte e Serviços, EI. She is also studying for a degree in Environmental Engineering at Eduardo Mondlane University. The daughter of a tailor and passionate about sewing since childhood, at the age of 13 she started her career as an entrepreneur in the sewing sector. She reused the scraps of fabric and capulana that her father discarded and made items for girls (hair ribbons, bows, cat ties, pencil cases, etc.). At the age of 18, she discovered the world of upcycling and made her first backpack out of recycled jeans. Since then, Elisa has had the opportunity to expand her business and register her company. It’s a journey with a lot of learning and improvement. With her business, she aims to reach many more people of all age groups and be able to generate sources of employment for more women.
Startup Story
Milena Barroca is an entrepreneur and business consultant with a background in Economics, and the founder of WH Impact, a company based in Mozambique. The business specializes in Business Consulting & Event Organization. With over 8 years of experience in Business Administration and Marketing, Milena, and her team drive business growth for success, connecting companies and individuals through impactful events. WH Impact adopts a philosophy of sustainable management, promoting significant and lasting growth for its clients.
Startup Story
Luisa Hussene is the founder of Doce sal Serviços, a business dedicated to floristry, catering, and gift services in Mozambique. The company specializes in commemorative events offering clients a wide range of decoration, catering, and florist services. Luisa is based in Maputo, and also works as a marketing and advertising manager in a software company.
Júlia Silota is the founder and CEO of J&G Environment Ltda, a Mozambican company operating in the environmental field, focused on the purchase and sale of solid waste, and providing solid waste collection services, solid waste management training, and environmental project evaluation. It was founded in August 2020 and began operations in 2023. It employs four people, two full-time and two part-time.