Africa Women Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) Pitch n Grow 2026 – Apply Now

Application Deadline: July 20, 2026

About the Competition

The Pitch n Grow is AWIEF’s flagship annual women entrepreneurship pitch competition programme, designed to identify, develop, and amplify the most promising women-led ventures across Africa. Through mentorship, training, visibility, and access to opportunities, the programme empowers founders to accelerate their growth and expand their impact. Each year, the competition adopts a new strategic theme aligned with AWIEF’s continental priorities. The 2026 theme is “Deep Roots, Digital Futures,” which challenges women-led ventures to apply deep technology not as an import, but as a tool grown from African soil – creating solutions that are locally rooted, globally relevant, and built for lasting impact. Selected finalists will pitch live at the AWIEF 2026 Conference in Cape Town, on 10 and 11 November 2026.

What’s on Offer

Selected participants will gain access to:

• Expert-led training bootcamps
• Mentorship from industry leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs
• Exposure to investors, ecosystem partners, and media
• An opportunity to pitch live at the AWIEF 2026 Conference in Cape Town
• Travel and accommodation support for finalists
• Cash prizes and global recognition

Competition Tracks

Participants can apply to one of three tracks based on their stage of business:

• Pre-Venture – Concept-stage ventures with a prototype or proof of concept
• Early-Stage – Registered startups with active customers and revenue generation
• Growth-Stage – Scaling ventures with proven traction and regional expansion

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Identify as a woman founder or co-founder
• Mixed-gender founding teams are welcome, but the pitching presenter must be a woman co-founder
• Citizen, resident, or registered operator in one of the African countries
• Venture must be built around a deep technology core (2026 theme)
• Founder must be 18 years of age or older
• Venture primarily serves or targets African localized markets
• Founder commits to attending the pitch Finals at the AWIEF2026 Conference if selected

Priority Innovation Sectors

Applications are encouraged from ventures in the following sectors:

• Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
• AgriTech
• HealthTech
• Clean Energy
• Water Technology
• Biotech
• FinTech
• Cybersecurity
• EdTech
• Smart Cities
• Circular Economy
• Frontier Technologies

Key Dates

• Applications Open: June 22, 2026
• Orientation Webinars: July 1 – 7, 2026
• Application Deadline: July 20, 2026
• Bootcamp: August 2026
• Finalists Announced: September 20, 2026
• Live Finals at AWIEF 2026 Conference: November 10 – 11, 2026 in Cape Town

Why This Competition Matters

Women-led startups attracted less than 1% of total venture capital funding in Africa in 2024, resulting in a $2.5 billion funding gap relative to male-founded startups over the past five years. There is currently a $42 billion funding gap for women entrepreneurs in Africa, and the World Economic Forum projects that bridging this gap could boost Africa’s growth by $316 billion. AWIEF Pitch n Grow addresses this gap by providing women entrepreneurs with mentorship, training, visibility, and access to opportunities that empower founders to accelerate their growth and expand their impact. For women entrepreneurs across Africa, this competition offers a transformative opportunity to gain exposure, access funding, and build the networks needed to scale their ventures.

How to Apply

Application Link: Click here to apply

For More Information: Visit the Official AWIEF Pitch n Grow Page