Future Females, UK-SA Tech Hub partner to train 50 SA women tech entrepreneurs

Women entrepreneurs in South Africa with a tech-enabled idea or business that has a positive social impact have one more thing to smile about this International Women’s Day.

Future Females, an international community of female entrepreneurs, has secured a partnership with the UK-SA Tech Hub to train 50 early-stage female tech entrepreneurs in the Future Females Business School programme.

The UK-SA Tech Hub is a UK government initiative that aims to establish links between tech businesses in the UK and South Africa. The hub also aims to support local tech entrepreneurship, cultivate digital skills and promote opportunities in the sector for youth and women.

The Future Females, UK-SA Tech Hub partnership will enable 50 female entrepreneurs to participate in the Future Females Business School programme for free

Through this partnership, the UK-SA Tech Hub will work with Future Females to provide 50 entrepreneurs the opportunity to take part in the next Business School intake, that kicks off at the end of this month.

The 50 will be aspiring or current women entrepreneurs, residing in South Africa, working on a tech-enabled idea or business that not only has the potential to generate revenue, but also has the potential to make a positive social impact.

‘Need for skills development’

In a statement announcing the partnership yesterday (7 March), Future Females co-founder Lauren Dallas said the partnership arose out of the need for greater skills development support for SA women entrepreneurs, particularly those in “underserved regions” whom she said generally don’t have access to programmes of this nature.

UK-SA Tech Hub director Shirley Gilbey said the two partners hope to assist women to overcome the “pervasive fear of failure” that women entrepreneurs have when starting a business.

Priced at $749, The Future Females Business School programme — which is a three-month virtual incubator — supports entrepreneurs to start and grow profitable businesses online.

The programme’s 12 content modules cover topics that include writing effective business plans, how to find and reach customers, as well as use of technology to build an online presence and scale.

Female entrepreneurs interested in applying for the 50 unpaid slots must fill out this form. Thereafter, selected applicants will be invited to a one-on-one consultation with a programme team member. Future Females said the consultation will help applicants validate their ideas and direction, as well as ensure the programme is “the best fit” for them.

Read more: Future Females opens applications for three-month virtual incubator

Featured image: Women entrepreneurs at a Future Females event (Supplied)