the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
Tshego Ratshidi, founder of Bleu Rose Flowers (South Africa)
Startup Story
Who doesn’t love flowers, either as gifts or in the home and office? They make us feel good, they cheer up our living and work spaces, they can help with our healing processes, and they make us feel closer to nature. In South Africa, entrepreneur Tshego Ratshidi, founder of Bleu Rose Flowers, knows the power of flowers to brighten lives and is delighting customers daily with her beautiful floral arrangements and floral gift boxes.
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Nicoline Bole, founder of Bolnique Ltd (United Kingdom / Cameroon)
Startup Story
As any woman who has larger feet will tell you, it can be a real challenge trying to find shoes that not only look beautiful, but are also well crafted and comfortable to wear. Entrepreneur Nicoline Bole, founder of Bolnique Ltd based in London, has the solution. Her uniquely created designs are appealing to all those discerning women customers who want luxury shoes that actually fit larger feet.
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Natércia Mondlane, founder & CEO of Natercia Mondlane Arquitectura & Imobiliária (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Finding a specialist, experienced and professional consultant who can navigate their way around any complex architectural real estate project can be tough. But in Mozambique, Natércia Mondlane, founder of Natércia Mondlane Arquitectura & Imobiliária, is creating highly innovative design solutions to meet all her clients’ urban design needs.
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Maeshibe Marema, founder of Maeshibe Coffee (South Africa)
Startup Story
Coffee lovers in South Africa can now enjoy their favourite brew whilst making a difference to the lives of young deaf people, thanks to Maeshibe Coffee, founded by entrepreneur Maeshibe Marema.
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Lucy Beard, co-founder of Hope Distillery (South Africa)
Startup Story
The growing interest in small batch gins and other spirits that have great brand stories and individual personalities, has created a great growth story for South Africa’s Hope Distillery, co-founded by husband and wife team Lucy Beard and Leigh Lisk. The Hope brand is distinctive, modern and committed to quality, and is winning fans around the world, as are the spirits they design and distill for other popular boutique brands.
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Tlhologelo Mabelane, founder of MabuTribe (South Africa)
Startup Story
On a mission to bring back health into the African haircare space, Tlhologelo Mabelane, founder of MabuTribe in South Africa, is creating great products combined with hair health education to help consumers to enjoy and celebrate their natural hair.
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Louisa Gibbons, founder of Little Foodease (South Africa)
Startup Story
Recognizing that many families have increasingly busy lifestyles with limited time, entrepreneur Louisa Gibbons, founder of Little Foodease, is providing parents with solutions. A range of nutritious meals, fun mealtimes and stimulating playtimes that equip parents to fulfil their child’s developmental and nutritional needs, while giving them peace of mind to spend more quality time with their families.
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Startup Story
Building a successful energy and electrical consulting company, Ikigai Engineering, drives South African entrepreneur Devaksha Maharaj on one level. But her passion for STEAM and the education of children has driven her to create her IKI KIDS, a business that teaches kids such subjects as engineering, mathematics, robotics and coding, creating a new generation of future STEAM specialists.
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Sofia Pedrosa, co-founder of Mokcha (Mozambique)
Startup Story
As the world becomes increasingly health conscious, so consumers are constantly on the look-out for products that will contribute to their sustainable lifestyle. In Mozambique, entrepreneur and nutritionist Sofia Pedrosa, co-founder of Mokcha, is introducing consumers to soothing and relaxing teas and natural infusions that aid health and wellbeing.
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Sibonelo Gamnca, co-founder of EcoDiesel (South Africa)
Startup Story
As the world looks to reduce CO2 emissions in order to address the growing threat of climate change, one South African business is playing its part. EcoDiesel, co-founded by Sibonelo Gamnca, is making the process of choosing biodiesel easy for customers who want to be more environmentally conscious.
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Kathy de Araújo, co-founder of Fluir - Centro de Desenvolvimento Pessoal (Mozambique)
Startup Story
For all those people in Mozambique who want to develop and improve their quality of life and find greater harmony with their communities and the environment in which they live, help is at hand. Fluir - Centro de Desenvolvimento Pessoal, co-founded by coach Kathy de Araújo and yoga instructor Adriana Jamisse, offers a holistic approach through yoga and coaching workshops, and positively changing lives.
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Marta Vânia Uetela, founder of BioMec (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Inspired to find a solution to the problem of 90% of amputees in Mozambique never getting access to prosthetic limbs to improve their lives, young entrepreneur Marta Vânia Uetela, founder of BioMec, came up with a plan. Today, she is changing lives through her innovations.
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Grace Gichanga, founder of Luma Law (South Africa)
Startup Story
Speak to Grace Gichanga, founder of Luma Law (South Africa), and she will tell you that she loves, loves, loves the law, because of its power to transform lives. As an attorney with over 10 years of experience, not surprisingly Grace has built a business which allows her to share her love of the law and how it works with the people of South Africa. The business was founded 2 years ago and LUMA the legal literacy chatbot officially went live on Facebook Messenger at the beginning of April 2020. Grace is committed to the vision of an empowered Africa through technology, innovation and the principles of social justice.
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Nosisa Dhlomo, founder of Afrizulu Tech (South Africa)
Startup Story
South Africa needs vibrant, bright young women with ideas and entrepreneurial ventures that have the potential to transform the economic landscape of the country and bring with it a wealth of opportunities. Nosisa Dhlomo, founder of Afrizulu Tech is one such pioneering woman entrepreneur. She believes in building African female leadership through industry platforms and hubs to produce more female leaders.
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Marlese Wallis, founder of Mies Body Products (South Africa)
Startup Story / First published March 19, 2017 / Updated September 7, 2020
Marlese Wallis is the creator and vision carrier of MIES body products. She studied Drama at Pretoria Technicon in South Africa and pursued an awesome career as a performer in the first Afrikaans girl band called Shine 4. It was during this time that Marlese made the very first product and only after moving down to Cape Town from Johannesburg, did she pursue it as a career. Eleven years later and MIES is still growing and building business muscles! Marlese loves all things natural especially body care, loves people, giving them work, and loves the hustle of being an entrepreneur.
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Bathabile Mpofu, founder of Nkazimulo Applied Sciences (South Africa)
Startup Story
Many young learners in South Africa never get the chance to perform science experiments as part of their studies, and this means that few go on to study science as a possible future career. Entrepreneur Bathabile Mpofu, founder of Nkazimulo Applied Sciences, is on a mission to change that.
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Sarah Morrow, owner of Little Leaders Preschool (South Africa)
Startup Story
In South Africa, for many parents finding a preschool for their children to attend that is both accessible and affordable can be a hugely challenging experience, often with little reward. But one passionate, impact driven woman entrepreneur is changing that reality. Sarah Morrow, founder of Little Leaders Preschool is making quality, affordable preschool education available to parents and their children from all walks of life.
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Ntokozo Mbuli, founder of Sugar Bean Pictures (South Africa)
Startup Story
The media can be a powerful force for good and positive change, and television programmes and films are particularly impactful in educating, informing and entertaining people. In South Africa, Ntokozo Mbuli, the creative force behind television and film production company, Sugar Bean Pictures, is on a mission to develop powerful content with a purpose beyond just entertainment.
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Hloki Raphuting, founder of PalmH (South Africa)
Startup Story
Who doesn’t love a beautifully crafted leather handbag or a stylish, eye-catching pair of leather shoes? In South Africa, entrepreneur Hloki Raphuting, founder of PalmH, is manufacturing high quality bags and shoes, all made from the finest leather, and for customers who want to look and feel good.
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Zuwaira Ikharo Shuaib, founder of Amal Botanicals Baby Care (Nigeria)
Startup Story
When you are a mother to triplets, you have first hand knowledge of just what babies need when it comes to natural skincare, and that is certainly the case with Zuwaira Ikharo Shuaib, founder of Amal Botanicals Baby Care. She has a big vision to be a leading natural baby skincare brand in Africa.
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