Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge

Winners from Nigeria, Kenya, DRC and South Africa recognised in competition for building tech-enabled businesses solving real market problems

Ten women entrepreneur founders from across Africa pitched their technology businesses at the Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge finale on 19 November 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa, with five receiving equity-free grants totalling over $100,000. Naspers and Prosus developed the Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge in partnership with Lionesses of Africa, a network of 1.8 million women entrepreneurs across the continent. The partnership enabled the Challenge to reach founders across diverse African markets and sectors. The winners will also receive mentorship from experienced investors and entrepreneurs within the Naspers and Prosus ecosystem, connections to institutional investors, and support navigating business development across African markets.

Naspers and Prosus announced the winners on Global Women's Entrepreneurship Day, timing the event to coincide with South Africa's G20 Presidency and the B20 Summit taking place in Johannesburg this week. The event also coincided with Lionesses of Africa’s 11th birthday celebration on 19 November 2025.

Main Category Winners

First Place

Esther Kimani, Farmer Lifeline Technologies, Kenya – Farmer Lifeline builds solar-powered, AI-enabled devices and services that detect crop pests and diseases early, helping smallholder farmers reduce yield and post-harvest losses.

“Early detection changes everything for smallholder farmers. This recognition accelerates our ability to reach more farmers before pest damage destroys their harvests,” said Kimani. “This means so much to me, and I know what this represents for young women like myself. I represent girls who grew up in rural areas who, with access and opportunity, can soar. This is not just a win for me. It shows that young women can dream big. Investing in technology is not cheap, and this means a lot to every startup. We are going to go far as a company, and we will tell this story for years to come.”

Second Place

Folayemi Agusto, Tix Africa, Nigeria – Tix Africa provides a self-service event ticketing and event-tech platform that helps organizers manage listings, ticket sales and payments for live and virtual events across Nigeria.

"Nigeria's events industry needs reliable technology infrastructure. We are building that foundation for organisers across the country," said Agusto. "When the judges described the exceptional pitch they selected for second place, I knew it was me. This validation means everything for what we're building."

Joint Third Place Winners

Margaret Wanjiku, Pollen Patrollers, Kenya – Pollen Patrollers develops IoT-enabled smart hive solutions and data services to monitor hive health, support beekeepers and improve pollination outcomes for farms.

"Technology can help us understand and protect pollinator health at scale, which directly impacts food security across Africa," said Wanjiku. "I am so excited. This opportunity is not just for me but for my team. It will help us scale from Kenya to Tanzania and Ethiopia."

Jenny Ambukiyenyi Onya, Neotex, Democratic Republic of Congo – Neotex builds AI tools for agriculture and livestock, including the Halisi Livestock product that helps smallholder livestock keepers digitize herds, access services and improve productivity.

"Livestock keepers in the DRC lack access to basic digital tools. AI technology can transform productivity when adapted to local contexts," said Onya. "I did not expect this. It is proof that innovation is possible and opens doors for researchers to find meaningful partnerships."

AI for Good Category Winner

Leonora Tima, Gender Rights in Tech (GRIT), South Africa – Gender Rights in Tech builds technology solutions, survivor support systems and data-informed tools to help survivors of gender-based violence access support, reporting and justice pathways.

"It is bigger than the money. Being part of this ecosystem means exceptional support," said Tima. "Technology can create safer pathways for survivors to access help and justice. This recognition helps us expand these critical tools to reach more women."

Each founder receives equity-free grant funding, mentorship from senior leaders within the Naspers and Prosus ecosystem, and access to investor networks that can accelerate their growth.

Applications to the Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge were opened for one month on 1 September and drew 1,163 applications from women tech founders across the continent – a significant signal to the depth of tech talent that exists in Africa. Africa’s digital economy is projected to reach $180 billion by 2025, and women entrepreneurs remain central to unlocking that growth. Yet only a small share of venture funding flows to female-led startups, highlighting why targeted initiatives like the Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge matter.

Winners with Prajna Khanna (far left), Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa (centre), Nataraj Iyer Balasubramaniam (far right)

“I’m immensely proud of our overall winner, Esther Kimani, who brings agricultural innovation through AI-powered pest detection solutions, as well as all the finalists who demonstrated their phenomenal tech solutions today - congratulations!” said Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, South Africa CEO and Executive Director of Naspers and Prosus.“The winners represent the next generation of technology leaders building viable businesses that solve real problems across Africa and I can’t wait to witness their growth going-forward.”

The Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge addresses a capital access challenge that many entrepreneurs face. Female entrepreneurs in Africa face a $42 billion funding gap, representing both an economic constraint and an opportunity for GDP growth and job creation across the continent.

“We received 1,163 applications from across the African continent, and the depth of talent was remarkable,” said Prajna Khanna, Chief Sustainability Officer and Vice President at Prosus and Naspers. “These founders are building real businesses with proven models that address significant market opportunities.

The Tech FoundHER Challenge builds on the successful India cohort in May 2025, and we’re committed to expanding this platform to support more exceptional founders across emerging markets.”

“We often hear from investors around the world that they struggle to access a pipeline of women entrepreneurs in Africa who have innovative, investor-ready businesses, particularly in the tech sector,” said Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa. “However, the large number of exciting, quality applications received for the Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge sends a clear message that Africa’s women entrepreneurs are innovating and creating exciting businesses ready for investment that will drive their growth and impact.”

The ten finalists represented South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. They operate across sectors including agritech, healthtech, climate tech, fintech, AI, and sustainable manufacturing. Following the evaluation process and live pitch competition, five winners were announced across two categories.

About Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge

The Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge identifies and supports exceptional women founders building technology businesses across Africa. Launched by Naspers and Prosus in partnership with Lionesses of Africa, the Challenge provides equity-free grant funding, mentorship, and ecosystem access to accelerate founder growth. The 2025 Africa Challenge builds on a successful India pilot launched in May 2025.

About Naspers

Established in 1915, Naspers has transformed itself to become a global consumer internet company and one of the largest technology investors in the world. Through Prosus, the group operates and invests globally in markets with long-term growth potential, building leading consumer internet companies that empower people and enrich communities. In South Africa, Naspers is one of the foremost investors in the technology sector and is committed to building its internet and ecommerce companies, including Takealot, Mr D Food, Autotrader and Property24, in addition to Media24, South Africa's leading print and digital media business. Naspers has a primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (NPN.SJ) and a secondary listing on the A2X Exchange (NPN.AJ) in South Africa. For more information, please visit www.naspers.com.

About Prosus

Prosus is the power behind the world’s leading lifestyle ecommerce brands, across Europe, India, and Latin America, unlocking an AI-first world for our 2 billion customers. The Prosus technology ecosystem spans food delivery, payments, classifieds, travel, events, and mobility. Our integrated approach enhances user engagement and creates the foundation for unprecedented AI capabilities through proprietary data and cross-service intelligence. Through Prosus Ventures, we invest in companies which inspire and support the Prosus ecosystem. We search for new opportunities at the leading edge of AI and ecommerce, the digital AI workforce and in frontier technologies, such as robotics, drones and synbio. The team actively backs exceptional entrepreneurs who are using technology to improve people’s everyday lives. To find out more, please visit www.prosus.com

About Lionesses of Africa

Lionesses of Africa is a social enterprise dedicated to driving economic transformation by empowering Africa’s women entrepreneurs. Since its launch on November 19, 2014, the organization has built one of the continent’s largest and most dynamic networks of women entrepreneurs—1.8 million strong and growing. Through access to knowledge, markets, funding, and resources, Lionesses of Africa helps women build sustainable businesses, create jobs, and fuel the continent’s economic growth. Learn more at: www.lionessesofafrica.com.