Application for Spring’s accelerator program opens today. The program is open to applicants in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda and closes by 1st of March. The program is committed to connecting investors to startups focused on empowering girls living in poverty.
Applicants are expected to pitch startups that have been in existence for over a year, with a record of profitability and also show that their startup empowers girls who are living in poverty.
After the application process, 50 startups would be picked to take part in a selection camp, from which 18 startups would be chosen to partake in the accelerator program. The accelerator would then subsequently run for a period of 9 months and it would provide the startups with mentorship and venture capital.
According to information on Spring’s website, the accelerator focuses on “accelerating early-stage ventures with products that improve the lives of girls (living) in poverty”.
Spring team leader, Pauline Mwangi, stated that “What sets our (spring) accelerator apart is our work with local and global entrepreneur networks to provide financing, world-class mentors, and leading expertise in business growth, human-centered design, innovation and marketing”.
Spring accelerator aims at reaching 200,000 girls through the startups it would be supporting, within the next 5 years.The accelerator is supported by USAID, UKaid and Nike Foundation.
