Lionesses of Africa Event
Welcome address by Peter-Derrek Hof, Ambassador Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, Director Social Development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at Start-Up Night Africa on Wednesday 17 September 2025.
Thank you Melanie, thank you team Lionesses of Africa for bringing us together tonight. You have really outdone yourselves, with tonight’s line up of brilliant women entrepreneurs
It’s a genuine honor for me to be part of the third Start-up Night Africa. I cannot wait for this evening to unfold. I was here last time and this is truly one of the highlights of my year.
“Investing in women entrepreneurs is important. It is also good business. Research shows that women-led startups generate twice as much revenue per dollar invested compared to male-led startups. Yet, less than 2% of global venture capital funding went to startups founded solely by women.”
So welcome, Excellencies, representatives from the private sector, civil society, government, alumni, online community, dear guests. Welcome, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A big thank you to Jules Ngankam, CEO of the African Guarantee Fund, for making it to The Hague. I look forward to learn more about the innovative work you do to support women entrepreneurs on the African continent.
Start Up Night works! I know I don’t have to convince you. The numbers speak for themselves. Over 60% of the women entrepreneurs showcased at last years’ edition have now obtained growth funding or new funded project partnerships for their businesses.
I look forward to hearing tonight from six brilliant African entrepreneurs: Morongwe, Michelle, Diana, Anne, Claudia and Nkem from South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Eswatini and Nigeria. I equally look forward to hearing from Inez, Marthe, Rahel, Linda and Anita, five Dutch businesswomen. We wish you well on your journey to expand your businesses to the Netherlands to Europe or to Africa.
I am convinced that tonight, you will blow us away.
Gender Equality
I trust that everybody in this room agrees that investing in women entrepreneurs is important. It is also good business. Research shows that women-led startups generate twice as much revenue per dollar invested compared to male-led startups. Yet, less than 2% of global venture capital funding went to startups founded solely by women.
We know that women entrepreneurs face many challenges from legal barriers to limited access to capital and technology.
Discrimination on the basis of gender is very much present in our societies. The world that women live in, is still very different from the world that men inhabit.
As we recalled here last year, we will only reach gender equality, when I am celebrating my 188th birthday in the year 2154.
I am fully aware that I have not experienced any of the consequences of gender discrimination myself. But we all know that fighting for gender equality is not just the right thing to do, it is also the smart thing to do. We can all benefit, we can all contribute and we should all make it our priority. Especially in times when women’s rights are under pressure.
So I would like to take a brief moment to address my fellow men in this room. Guys, we need to step up our game. We need to ask ourselves the question: what have we done for gender equality today. And let me give you a small hint: the correct answer is not: I had other urgent things to do.
Role of the Netherlands
We know that women entrepreneurs are a catalyst for positive change. As the Netherlands we are a proud supporter of women entrepreneurship. My colleagues Anne and Marchel will discuss this in their fireside chat.
I will not pre-empt their conversation. Let me just mention that my own department is currently developing a new financial framework for African women entrepreneurs in the informal sector at the start of their careers. We focus on adequate business trainings as well as on challenging negative gender norms. We hope to launch this instrument, with a budget of 55 million Euros in the first half of 2026.
The purpose of the event
Tonight, is a night of ideas, a night of innovation, a night of opportunity. We are all part of this dynamic community. We can all contribute. We are going to ask you all what your contribution is going to be.
Melanie, You are a woman on a mission. You are unstoppable, you make start-up dreams a reality.
Lionesses of Africa! You have been opening many doors for women entrepreneurs, you have amplified many voices. Your energy is contagious. Your professionalism is inspiring.
Let us, tonight, unlock new possibilities. Let us be inspired, let us learn and let us connect.
Thank you