Access to funding for Africa's women entrepreneurs requires a more innovative digital approach

April 10, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Radio / The Business of Funding Podcast Ep.4

For Africa’s women entrepreneurs in both startup and growth mode, getting access to funding can be a tricky and often frustrating experience. That’s why a more innovative approach is required, and fintech has a definite role to play in creating more accessible funding platforms for women business owners. In Episode 4 of The Business of Funding, Sarah Dusek, co-founder of Enygma Ventures, shares her insights on how funding and investment support for growth oriented women owned businesses in Africa can be a game-changer. Also on the programme are two successful women business founders who are in the business of fintech, and both based in Zambia. So two fascinating conversations on the business of funding from a number of perspectives.

Adbot launches campaign to offer 1000 Lionesses of Africa members 1000 FREE Google Ads campaigns

January 28, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Radio / The Business of Funding Podcast Ep.3

There are 3.5 million searches a day on Google. If your business is not advertising on Google you don't exist to online customers. That is why Lionesses of Africa is collaborating with Adbot to change this. Adbot is giving away 1000 Free Google ads campaigns to 1000 women business owners, each to the value of R1000. The campaign runs until 31 January 2022.

Lionesses of Africa launches The Business of Funding Podcast in partnership with Enygma Ventures

May 13, 2021 Melanie Hawken

final-business of funding-2x1-2-lo-res.jpg

Lioness Radio / The Business of Funding Podcast

In response to the challenges facing Africa’s women entrepreneurs in getting access to essential growth funding for their businesses, Lionesses of Africa has launched The Business of Funding Podcast series through its Lioness Radio division. This new quarterly podcast show aims to inform and inspire, and is powered by Enygma Ventures, a private investment fund focused on investing in women-led businesses in Southern Africa, and co-founded by entrepreneurs Sarah and Jacob Dusek.

FT Podcast with Dorcas Muthoni: “Starting a business young is a bonus” says Kenyan tech pioneer

July 1, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Dorcas Muthoni, founder of Open World Ltd (Kenya) — **Dorcas Muthoni**, founder of **Open World Ltd (Kenya)**

This week saw Kenyan tech pioneer, Dorcas Muthoni, founder of Open World and creator of Open Business, sharing her thoughts on doing business in Kenya and the general lack of women in the tech sector in Africa as a whole, during a fascinating podcast interview with the Financial Times. Dorcas talked about the exciting new business opportunities in Silicon Savannah and also about how to avoid corruption in a country which has its challenges in the way that business has traditionally been done.

PODCAST: Shingai Nyagweta, founder of KuNa Kids, talks about her children’s clothing company in South Africa celebrating local textiles

March 20, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Listen to LoA’s interview with Shingai Nyagweta, founder of KuNa Kids, recorded at the Lioness Lean In Breakfast event in Johannesburg on 17 March where she was sharing her startup story with the audience.

PODCAST: Lionesses of Africa speaks to Lydie Hakizimana, serial entrepreneur in Rwanda, and founder of the Happy Hearts Day Care and Nursery School in Kigali

March 11, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Lydie Hakizimana, founder of the Happy Hearts Day Care and Nursery School (Rwanda)

Listen to Lionesses of Africa Founder and CEO, Melanie Hawken, in conversation with Lydie Hakizimana, serial entrepreneur and founder of the Happy Hearts Day Care and Nursery School in Kigali, Rwanda. The interview was recorded at the school during LoA’s visit to Rwanda for the Global Women’s Summit to celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March 2016.

PODCAST: LoA speaks to Dr Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Chairperson of New Faces, New Voices, Rwanda Chapter, about an exciting new Women's Fund launching in the country

March 11, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Rwanda First Lady Mrs Jeanette Kagame, and Mrs Graca Machel at the launch of New Faces New Voices in Kigali

Listen to Lionesses of Africa Founder and CEO, Melanie Hawken, in conversation with Dr Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Chairperson of New Faces, New Voices, Rwanda Chapter, recorded at the Global Women’s Summit which took place on 8th March 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda, to celebrate International Women’s Day.

PODCAST: Melanie Hawken talks Millennial Women Entrepreneurs on Lucky Radio

February 26, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Melanie Hawken, founder and CEO of Lionesses of Africa, with host Shona MacDonald

Lionesses of Africa shared some interesting insights on the subject of the rise of Millennial women entrepreneurs in Africa, and their innovative approaches to harnessing the power of digital to launch new businesses.

PODCAST: LoA interviews Julia Pimsleur, the inspirational author of Million Dollar Women

February 6, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Julia Pimsleur, author of 'Million Dollar Women' — **Julia Pimsleur**, author of 'Million Dollar Women'

Most women entrepreneurs are stuck at the “mom and pop” level, just getting by, or in many cases, running out of cash. In her book Million Dollar Women, Julia Pimsleur shares her inspiring story of building her own company and raising millions in capital in a guide for women like her who have a great idea and need to find the resources to take it into the big leagues. LOA founder Melanie Hawken recently had the pleasure of chatting to Julia and finding out what women entrepreneurs in Africa need to do to become Million Dollar Women. A must listen interview!

Leading South African entrepreneur, Margaret Hirsch, speaks to LoA about her recent participation in the prestigious 9th IWEC event in Turkey

December 4, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Margaret Hirsch at the speaker podium giving her talk in Turkey — **Margaret Hirsch** at the speaker podium giving her talk in Turkey

The 9th IWEC International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge and Awards event took place last month in Istanbul, Turkey, and one of South Africa’s most respected and successful women entrepreneurs, Margaret Hirsch, co-founder and Chief Operations Executive of Hirschs, was invited to speak about her work, her philosophy on women’s economic participation and upliftment, and her own entrepreneurial journey. LoA spoke to Margaret about this amazing experience and what she learned from it.

Togo entrepreneur, Emefa Kpegba, speaks to LoA about her recent award wins for her crowdfunding solution

November 26, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Emefa Kpegba, founder and CEO of e-Technopole — **Emefa Kpegba**, founder and CEO of e-Technopole

The 2015 AppsAfrica Innovation Awards have just taken place in South Africa and the winner of this year’s Women in Tech Innovation Award is Emefa Kpegba, the founder and CEO of e-Technopole from Togo. Emefa’s OMobile Funding platform, which is a crowdfunding and microfinance platform for local technology innovators, won the award against stiff competition.

PODCAST: LoA had a great time talking chocolate with the co-founder of Chocolate Mamas Gourmet Tanzanian Chocolate Company, Jaki Kweka

November 23, 2015 Melanie Hawken

With the launch of the Choose Artisan campaign recently, the spotlight has been firmly shining on Africa’s amazing women artisans, particularly those producing world-class, luxury products. One such woman artisan attracting global attention right now is the talented Jaki Kweka, Director and Co-Founder of Chocolate Mamas Gourmet Tanzanian Chocolate Co. which is the country’s first and only indigenous producer of fine chocolate.

PODCAST: LoA chats to the uniquely talented leather accessory designer, Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri of Vanhu Vamwe, who has just returned from a life-changing trip to Ecuador

November 21, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri, founder of Vanhu Vamwe — **Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri**, founder of Vanhu Vamwe

On 28 October in Berlin, social enterprise Abury, and creator of the first global contest in search of the best accessories design talent worldwide, the ABURY Design Experience, unveiled the first collection of handmade handbags made by artisans in Ecuador and designed by the winner of the 2015 contest, Zimbabwean designer, Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri, founder of Vanhu Vamwe.

PODCAST: LoA speaks to the Queen of Afroluxe, Swaady Martin, founder of Yswara, the luxury African tea and teatime accessories brand, about taking her brand experience to the next level

November 21, 2015 Melanie Hawken

The Yswara luxury African tea and teatime accessories brand is a real celebration of the continent, with its essence created from the ingredients and narratives that are so unique to Africa. It is this essence that makes the Yswara brand so unique.

PODCAST: LoA talks with co-founder Nahida Bhegani, about advertising and exciting new times ahead for Kinaya, their Ugandan advertising agency

November 19, 2015 Melanie Hawken

When two sisters and a close friend all met at school in Uganda many years ago, who would have thought their close friendship would lead to a series of highly successful business ventures in the future, one of which is Kinaya, a leading advertising agency in the country. LoA chatted to Nahida about the business, affiliations, new challenges and exciting times ahead for the company.

PODCAST: LoA talks fashion with Olga Mugyenyi, co-founder of uber trendy Ugandan brand, DEF.I.NI.TION AFRICA

November 19, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Olga Mugyenyi, co-founder of the highly successful and uber trendy Ugandan fashion brand, DEF.I.NI.TION AFRICA, talks about their latest collection launch with LoA during a visit to South Africa on 16 November. Their incredible new collection reflects their love of print and news headlines in some really original designs that are taking the catwalks of Africa by storm, produced in collaboration with a hot new design talent who is just 15 years old - prepare to be amazed!

PODCAST: LoA chats to entrepreneur Mavis Nduchwa of Chabana Farms in Botswana

November 19, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Mavis Nduchwa, Chabana Farms (Botswana) — **Mavis Nduchwa**, Chabana Farms (Botswana)

Meeting young entrepreneurs in the agri-business sector from Africa is always a pleasure for Lionesses of Africa, and on 16 November, founder Melanie Hawken met with a young woman agri-entrepreneur who is a bright prospect for the future. Mavis Nduchwa of Chabana Farms, a family owned enterprise located in Semitwe Village, TutumweSub-district of Botswana, talked about the challenges of being a woman entrepreneur in the farming sector, and shared her aspirations for the future.

PODCAST: Mosidi Modise, co-founder of GroShoot in South Africa chats agribusiness to LoA

November 19, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Mosidi Modise, co-founder of GroShoot (South Africa) — **Mosidi Modise**, co-founder of GroShoot (South Africa)

LoA's founder, Melanie Hawken, had the pleasure of speaking at the Ampion Venture Bus Tour Johannesburg stopover event on 16 November and meeting some amazing young entrepreneurs from around the African continent and the world. One agri-business entrepreneur in the making was Mosidi Modise of GroShoot in Cape Town. She spoke to Melanie about her business initiative and her aspirations for the future.

PODCAST: Anthea Rutherford of the Really Interesting Food Company talks really interesting food

November 17, 2015 Melanie Hawken

The Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair was the lively venue for a great conversation with Franschoek-based entrepreneur, Anthea Rutherford, the inspiration behind the Really Interesting Food Company. Her passion for cooking, food, and interesting and hard to find food items from around the world led her to start this amazing business.

PODCAST: LoA speaks to Babette Van der Walt who has turned her passion for artisanal bread into a business

November 14, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Babette Van der Walt, founder of Babette's Bread (South Africa)

LoA had the great fortune to stumble across a great new artisanal bread baker this week in the trendy neighbourhood of Maboneng, Johannesburg. Babette Van der Walt, the founder of Babette's Bread is using traditional French bread baking techniques to produce some of the most wonderful tasting and looking baguettes you will find outside of Paris.

Sign up today to receive the #1-rated newsletters for Africa's women entrepreneurs.