the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
Keneilwe Latoya Molomo, founder, Toya's Homemade Chilli (Botswana)
Startup Story
Keneilwe Latoya Molomo is the founder of Toya's Homemade Chilli in Botswana. She is new to the entrepreneurial world and launched her company in December 2022. A Diplomat by profession, Keneilwe hopes to get her product into retail outlets countrywide and eventually to break into export markets.
Read more
Oluwadunsin Bolaji, founder and Creative Director, DunsinCraft Collection LTD (Nigeria)
Startup Story
Oluwadunsin Bolaji is the founder and Creative Director of DunsinCraft Collection LTD, an Afrocentric accessory brand in Nigeria. With over 7 years’ experience, Oluwadunsin's passion for promoting African culture through fashion accessories is truly inspiring. By designing bags and jewellery using indigenous African fabrics, she showcases the richness of our African heritage and the immense potential embedded in our fabrics.
Read more
Taryn Marcus, co-founder, Reinvent CoLab (South Africa)
Startup Story
Taryn Marcus, co-founder of Reinvent CoLab in South Africa, prides herself as a devoted change agent and positive disruptor, with an enterprise perspective. She collaboratively works to create organizations where people perform better, feel engaged, deliver customer value, and have fun - all at the same time. Taryn has a special focus on methodologies that aid individuals, teams, and organizations build mindsets, skillsets, and toolsets to make continuous reinvention a competitive advantage. She brings almost two decades of Human Capital experience in both established and emerging markets, 15 of which have been at Executive management level for listed complex multinational (pan-African, Asia, Europe, Oceania, North American) organizations. Taryn is a registered Industrial psychologist and Harvard Business School Alumnus.
Read more
Dr Unami Elias-Mosepele, founder and director Kgato Paediatrics Clinic (Botswana)
Startup Story
Dr Unami Elias-Mosepele is the founder and director of Kgato Paediatrics Clinic in Botswana, a company that provides primary health care to children and adolescents. The business has been running for 1 year 9 months and today has 3 permanent employees and 2 part-time employees. Unami is a Paediatrician with more than 10 years’ experience in the medical field.
Read more
Anastasia Machobane, founder and ceo, Mashobane Advisory Services (South Africa)
Startup Story
Anastasia Machobane is the founder and ceo of Mashobane Advisory Services in South Africa, a business focusing on providing specialist legal and business administration services to the mostly under-serviced SMME market. She works independently or within team environments, and has a diplomatic/assertive approach in dealing with EXCO and Board members of any organisation. She is passionate about skills development and does this through her mentorship program. The business has created jobs for 5 people.
Read more
Milena Barroca, founder, WH Impact (Mozambique)
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.
Read more
Luisa Hussene, founder, Doce sal Serviços (Mozambique)
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.
Read more
Mabusang Malotane, founder and ceo, Shai Boi Project Management Pty Ltd (South Africa)
Startup story
Mabusang Malotane is the founder and ceo of Shai Boi Project Management Pty Ltd, a company founded in 2017 and registered in South Africa, Rwanda, and Mauritius. She is also the founder of Shai Chai Organic Tea, an organic luxury tea brand design and the ultimate in artisan-crafted teas, exemplifying the level of elegant ambiance. She has over 14 years’ of experience in the event and entertainment industry and the financial industry.
Read more
Mukundi Lambani, founder, Ambani Africa (South Africa)
Startup Story
Mukundi Lambani is the founder of Ambani Africa in South Africa, an innovative ed-tech company committed to promoting multilingual education and improving learning outcomes for children. Her journey into producing began in 2010 with the international 48 Hour Film Project. At just 23, she became the first African producer of the competition, organizing film festivals in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Gaborone. This initiative opened doors for over 200 filmmakers, some even making it to Hollywood and Cannes, thanks to Lambani's fundraising efforts. The business was registered in 2018 and started operations in 2020, and now employs 10 people.
Read more
Jessica da Fonseca Sargento, founder, The Zen Living Project & Zen Coaching (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Jessica da Fonseca Sargento is the inspiration behind The Zen Living Project community and now Zen Coaching, founded in 2020 in Mozambique. She graduated in Law and has worked for large corporations over the last twenty years, as a lawyer, following the so-called “traditional” trajectory that society applauds: a steady job, a steady paycheck, and the allure of climbing the corporate ladder. Yet as Jessica climbed the ladder, she felt a growing disconnect between her daily tasks and her inner aspirations. – financial gains, positions, and hierarchical advancements no longer resonated with her and she began searching for knowledge and holistic training in the areas of yoga instruction, meditation, and life coaching.
Read more
Éssita Viagem, founder and General Director, Ellen ESV SCC Lda (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Éssita Viagem is the founder and General Director of Ellen ESV SCC Lda (Mozambique), is an experienced entrepreneur and is part of the Top 25 multilevel marketing leaders in the South African company Inuka fragrances (South Africa). The company Ellen ESV is dedicated to accounting, taxation, financial consultancy, and financial education training services in the Mozambican market. It was created in 2017, having been restructured and becoming Ellen ESV SCC, Lda in 2021 and currently employs 11 people, of which 6 are women. She has more than 13 years of experience in the financial area and 9 years as an intern assistant at Eduardo Mondlane University.
Éssita Viagem é a fundadora e Directora Geral da Ellen ESV SCC Lda (Moçambique), é uma empreendedora experiente e faz parte das Top 25 líderes de marketing multinível na empresa sul-africana Inuka fragrances (África do Sul).
A empresa Ellen ESV dedica-se aos serviços de contabilidade, fiscalidade, consultoria financeira e treinamento em educação financeira no mercado moçambicano. Foi criada em 2017, tendo se reestruturado e passado a Ellen ESV SCC, Lda em 2021 e emprega actualmente 11 pessoas, das quais 6 mulheres.
Tem experiência de mais de 13 anos na área financeira e de 9 anos como assistente estagiária na universidade Eduardo Mondlane.
Kutloano Skosana, Creator and Host, Shades and Layers (South Africa/USA)
Startup Story
Kutloano Skosana is a creative entrepreneur from South Africa, now based in the US. She is the Creator and Host of Shades and Layers, a podcast dedicated to the stories of Black and Other Women of Color entrepreneurs across the globe. Kutloano’s media career began in radio journalism after she graduated from Rhodes University shortly after the country’s first democratic elections in 1994. She worked at 702, Kaya FM, Metro FM and SAFM between 1996 and 2008. Alongside her radio career, she was sharpening her entrepreneurial skills with her business partners, Maria McCloy and Dzino at their groundbreaking multimedia company, Black Rage Productions.
Read more
Vanda Harries, founder, The Life Architect (South Africa)
Startup Story
Vanda Harries is the entrepreneur behind The Life Architect, a business coaching and consultancy specialising in marketing and communications and personal brand building in South Africa. She is passionate about helping other women entrepreneurs and non-profits to develop their personal and business brands to achieve their goals.
Read more
Mirene Guitiche, founder and CEO, Miregui Art (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Mirene Guitiche is the founder and CEO of Miregui Art, a company that has existed since 2020 and is dedicated to creative sewing and crafts in Mozambique. She is an entrepreneur equipped with skills and is very talented, in addition to being a Management student (UEM) in the country.
A Mirene Guitiche tem 23 anos é estudante de Gestão (UEM), é fundadora e CEO da Miregui art, uma empresa existente desde 2020 que se dedica a costura criativa e artesanato. Empreendedora munida de competências e muito talentosa.
Read more
Amirah Adam, founder, Mira La Mira (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Amirah Adam is the founder of the company Mira La Mira, a textile print design brand launched in 2018 in Mozambique. She is the winner of several financing awards and the Mozal & Kulungwana award. Since the age of 16, she has worked in the digital arts field, and has extensive experience in communication design, photography, and advertising. She has also worked in alternative areas such as business management. She completed her degree in Mozambique and her master's degree in Portugal, where the Mira La Mira brand was born. The business has created jobs for 4 people.
Read more
Claire Amondi, founder, CEO of AGNES | Pure & Regal (Kenya)
Startup Story
Claire Amondi is the founder and CEO of AGNES | Pure & Regal, a clean and safe skincare line made in Kenya. AGNES seeks to inspire and promote the importance of healthy skin. Born out of the founders' obsession with all things skincare and the desire to encourage the value of self love, the brand is committed to formulating simple and effective products that help enhance and maintain your glow. Launched in 2018, today the business has created jobs for 3 other people.
Read more
Alinafe Fridah Mapwesera, founder, Nanas (Malawi)
Startup Story
Alinafe Fridah Mapwesera is the founder of Nanas closet in Malawi, a business launched in 2014 and creating beautiful bridal dresses and other bespoke wear for those memorable wedding occasions. Customers have come to know Alinafe for creating beautiful wedding dresses that celebrate African culture and she sells her designs all over the world. She happily mixes elegance with different cultures in her designs, whilst always taking care of the environmental impact of her work which is important to Alinafe. For example, she gave away 100 dresses to kids made from old materials. Her work is about making things well, keeping traditions alive, and helping the planet.
Read more
Startup Story
Birgite Armando John is the founder of Centro de Educação Sustentável, Lda. (CES), a specialist consulting and language business in Mozambique. She is an entrepreneurial woman, accountant, and also multilingual. Birgite began her journey as an entrepreneur teaching English to friends and colleagues while studying abroad. She is the recipient of a 3rd Place prize in the CapacitaMoz Bootcamp Award financed by TotalEnergies.
Birgite Armando John, fundadora do Centro de Educação Sustentável, Lda. (CES) e vencedora do 3o Lugar do Premio CapacitaMoz Bootcamp financiado pela TotalEnergies. Mulher empreendedora, Contabilista e poliglota. Começou o seu percurso como empreendedora ensinando Inglês para amigos e colegas enquanto estudava no estrangeiro.
Read more
Lindsey Swart, founder, Pretty You Workshops (South Africa)
Startup Story
Lindsey Swart is the founder of Pretty You Workshops in South Africa, a business creating interactive makeup learning experiences for women. She has been in the makeup industry for over 20 years and has headed up some of South Africa’s finest productions. She has a great passion in making women look and feel amazing. At her interactive workshops, she shares all her knowledge in a fun and beautiful environment.
Read more
Dércia Marta Massilele, co-founder & manager, COSEL-Colecta Selectiva (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Dércia Marta Massilele is the co-founder and manager of COSEL-Colecta Selectiva, a waste management startup launched in 2019 and based in Maputo, creating jobs for five people. It’s main activity focuses on providing collection and treatment services for recyclable and common waste. Using motorless tricycles and promoting environmental awareness, Dércia and her team offer an innovative and affordable solution for micro-enterprises and private establishments.
Read more