Access Bank Launches Womenpreneur Pitch-a-ton Season 6
About Womenpreneur Pitch-a-ton
Launched in 2019, the Womenpreneur Pitch-a-ton program is a pioneering initiative by Access Bank’s W Initiative, aimed at supporting women in business. The maiden edition of the program provided free mini-MBA certification to 50 women entrepreneurs in Nigeria and awarded financial grants worth N9 million to the top three applicants, in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group.
The program has since expanded to 10 other African countries where Access Bank’s W Initiative operates, awarding the Mini-MBA training to 645 women entrepreneurs and providing over $175,000 in grants across Africa. The sixth season of the Womenpreneur Pitch-a-ton in Nigeria aims to provide mini-MBA certification to another 120 women entrepreneurs and grants worth over N17.5 million Naira.
Womenpreneur Pitch-a-ton Season 6
Retail giant Access Bank plc has unveiled the W Initiative Womenpreneur Pitch-a-ton Season 6. The W Initiative is designed to inspire, connect, and empower women, aligning with Access Bank’s vision to be the bank of choice for women in the markets and communities it serves. This initiative aims to empower female entrepreneurs with financial and business skills through the Womenpreneur Pitch-a-ton program, offering female-owned businesses across Africa opportunities to access finance, world-class business training, and mentoring.
Abiodun Olubitan, Group Head of the W Initiative, stated, “This program is designed to create an enabling environment for female entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. Access Bank has been a leading advocate for women’s economic empowerment in Africa, and this is the key motivation for the ‘W’ Initiative, which caters to the women’s economy, particularly in the areas of financing, capacity building, and creating networking opportunities for women.”
Since its inception in 2019, the program has received over 160,000 applications, awarded the Mini-MBA training to 645 women, and provided over $175,000 in grants across 10 African countries. The 2024 Womenpreneur Pitch-a-ton program in Nigeria will officially kick off on Monday, June 24th, and run until August 9th, 2024, offering financial grants, an exclusive certified capacity building program, and business coaching to empower women entrepreneurs.
Eligibility Criteria
1st Stage
- Applicants must have an Access Bank account number (Individual or Business account).
- Applicants must be women in business with a minimum of 50% ownership.
- Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 55.
- The business must have been operating for over one year.
- Applicants must complete and submit the application form.
2nd Stage
- Applicants must submit a one-minute video pitch about their business.
- Applicants must have a business account with Access Bank.
- The business must be registered.
- Applicants must be available to undergo the Mini-MBA program physically in Lagos.
Prize:
IFC-certified Mini-MBA with up to N5 million grant.
Process to Getting Rewarded
- Sign Up: Interested female entrepreneurs who meet the criteria can fill out an online application on www.womenpreneur.ng.
- Get Trained: Selected candidates will undergo an exclusive and certified Mini-MBA program in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
- Pitch Your Business: Candidates will pitch their businesses to a Pan-African jury panel, integrating learnings from the Mini-MBA.
- Get Selected: The top finalists will stand a chance to win financial grants and other consolation prizes.
The Womenpreneur Pitch-a-ton program is an excellent opportunity for women entrepreneurs to gain valuable business skills, financial support, and networking opportunities to grow and scale their businesses. Access Bank continues to champion women’s economic empowerment through this impactful initiative.
Click Here to Stay informed & Updated on the application Process
Application closes August 9th, 2024
