Investing in Her: Turning Ambition into Growth
Investing in Her: Turning Ambition into Growth
Across MENA and sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), women entrepreneurs are building solutions for financial access and jobs, often facing tighter capital constraints. To help them in securing much needed capital, in 2025, SANAD’s Advisory & Capacity Building arm launched the Advancing Women Entrepreneurship in MENA & SSA accelerator program. The cross-regional platform is designed to equip up to 40 female-led or oriented startups with tailored capacity building, mentoring, and clearer pathways to capital.
Building on Strategy and Structure
SANAD’s work to advance gender equality is not new, but it has grown more intentional and measurable. With the introduction of its Gender Strategy in 2024, the fund set out a clearer framework for how it contributes to inclusive growth, through both investments and advisory support.
Practically, that means helping investees expand outreach to women entrepreneurs, embedding gender considerations into their strategy, and engaging at the ecosystem level to promote a more inclusive financial sector. The new accelerator directly builds on this foundation, extending support to innovative women-anchored ventures with the potential to create jobs and strengthen resilience across the regions.
Turning Readiness into Opportunity
At the core of the accelerator is a simple premise: investment readiness is built, not assumed. The program is structured to guide founders through a clear progression, from skills development to investor engagement, supported by hands-on advisory throughout. Up to 40 female-led startups from across MENA and SSA will take part in a six-month regional program combining practical workshops, one-on-one mentoring, and peer learning - tailored to the realities of women founders and supported by seasoned women mentors with regional experience.
The acceleration phase culminates in a regional competition and high-visibility networking event that convenes key ecosystem players—regulators, SANAD partner financial institutions, investors, IFIs/DFIs, industry professionals, and media—giving founders structured exposure and relationship-building opportunities that go beyond a standard demo day. To amplify market signaling and visibility, cash prizes will be awarded to the three most promising startups.
What makes this program different from many accelerators in the region is SANAD’s ability to actively mobilize its regional partnership network to create credible, concrete pathways to capital—connecting ventures not only to investors, but also to SANAD partner financial institutions and other ecosystem stakeholders that can enable early-stage funding and follow-on investments as companies mature. As SANAD’s first regional entrepreneurship program spanning its full footprint, it is designed as a full-cycle support model—from acceleration to post-program growth support—rather than a one-off cohort experience.
The support does not stop there. Up to 20 of the most promising ventures will receive tailored follow-on support over 12 months, including advanced coaching, financing readiness, and targeted investor matchmaking to support further growth and access to capital. Throughout the process, progress and outcomes are tracked through structured assessment and data-driven monitoring systems, ensuring that outcomes are measurable and aligned with long-term impact.
Purpose of the partnership
The purpose behind the program goes beyond a single cohort. It is about building a sustainable pipeline of investment-ready businesses in sectors such as fintech, agri-finance, and green solutions, areas critical to both economic resilience and job creation. By combining advisory, mentoring, and access to networks, the accelerator aims to bridge a persistent gap: helping founders move from early-stage growth to credible investment opportunities. The target is clear; at least 30% of participating startups securing financing or partnerships within nine months of completing the program.
In addition, what distinguishes this approach is its continuity. Engagement with founders extends beyond the formal accelerator, with ongoing support designed to maintain momentum and improve access to follow-on finance. From pitch preparation to investor introductions, the program systematically connects entrepreneurs to the capital ecosystem.
At the same time, partnerships with local networks and ecosystem actors ensure that support remains grounded and relevant. Building on this, SANAD leverages its extensive regional network of partner financial institutions, regulators, and investors to actively facilitate access to capital and market opportunities for participating ventures. This combination, global structure with local insight, and strong institutional connectivity significantly enhances the likelihood that businesses not only secure funding but continue to grow and scale.
Laying the groundwork for scale
In 2025, SANAD focused on laying the foundation for a systematic approach to enable more capital flowing to female entrepreneurs; in 2026, the focus now shifts from design to delivery; training, mentoring, and creating the moments that matter: visibility, connection, and investor engagement. The anticipated program’s success will go further beyond a single cohort, creating a repeatable pathway for women founders to move from potential to partnership, and ultimately to the capital needed to scale.
