The co-investment grant from USAID Trade Hub will boost women-led businesses, founders, and innovators through cash injection, access to high-value networks and structured technical support.

ShEquity will use the funds to support and invest in more than 100 high-potential female-owned or led businesses. The network also plans to leverage the $1.2 million grant to attract at least $15 million in private funding to accelerate, scale and invest in women businesses operating in Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. It will target businesses in six key industries, including fast-moving consumer goods, tech-enabled solutions, agribusiness, healthcare, renewable energy and mobility. 

As part of the trade hub project, 120 female-owned or led organisations in the target markets will be given business development services and technical support. Additionally, 12 high-growth, high-impact businesses will each receive at least $50,000 in venture capital funding. 

Founder and managing director, Pauline Koelbl, said: “If Africa is to reach its full economic potential, smart investment for African women entrepreneurs needs to be dramatically increased.”

“The lack of financing, combined with insufficient business support, put potential women entrepreneurs and those seeking to expand their already successful businesses in a growth deficit or low-income trap, widening the gender gap and reinforcing negative biases.”

ShEquity was founded by Koelbl in 2021, and the platform’s goal is to facilitate “smart and sustainable investments for African female entrepreneurs and innovators.”