Johannesburg, South Africa – 19 November 2025:Africa’s leading women innovators took Centre stage as ten finalists from Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo pitched their technology businesses at the Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge finale. Five winners were awarded equity-free grants totaling more than $100,000, recognising tech-enabled enterprises solving real market challenges across the continent.
Hosted by Naspers and Prosus in partnership with Lionesses of Africa, the event coincided with Global Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, South Africa’s G20 Presidency and the B20 Summit in Johannesburg. With 1,163 applications received in just one month, the Challenge demonstrated the depth of talent within Africa’s digital economy—an economy projected to reach $180 billion by 2025.
Women entrepreneurs remain key to unlocking this growth,
yet continue to receive a small fraction of venture funding. The Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge seeks to close this gap by providing funding, mentorship, and investor access for exceptional founders.
Kenya’s Esther Kimani, founder of Farmer Lifeline Technologies, won first place for her AI-powered pest detection devices that protect smallholder farmers from devastating crop losses. Nigeria’s Folayemi Agusto secured second place for Tix Africa, a fast-growing event-tech platform transforming ticketing and payments across Nigeria. Joint third place winners included Kenya’s Margaret Wanjiku of Pollen Patrollers, using IoT to strengthen beekeeping and pollination, and the DRC’s Jenny Ambukiyenyi Onya, whose venture Neotex applies AI to support livestock productivity.
South Africa’s Leonora Tim, founder of Gender Rights in Tech (GRIT), won the AI for Good category for building digital systems that support survivors of gender-based violence.
Naspers South Africa CEO Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa celebrated the winners as “the next generation of technology leaders,” while Prosus executive Prajna Khanna commended the “remarkable depth of talent across the continent.”
By backing women entrepreneurs, the Challenge helps narrow Africa’s $42 billion female funding gap while accelerating inclusive technology-driven growth.
