5 African Women Founders Win Over USD 100 K Grant In Naspers-Backed Initiative

Five women founders have won more than USD 100 K in equity-free funding at the inaugural Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge, a Naspers- and Prosus-backed programme aimed at tackling the chronic underfunding of women-led tech startups.

Held at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the challenge marks a strategic reset following the controversial closure of Naspers Foundry.

Kenya’s Esther Kimani won first place for Farmer Lifeline, which uses AI-powered devices to detect crop pests early. Nigeria’s Folayemi Agusto took second with ticketing platform Tix Africa, while joint third went to Kenya’s Margaret Wanjiku (Pollen Patrollers) and the DRC’s Jenny Ambukiyenyi Onya (Neotex.ai). South Africa’s Gender Rights in Tech won the AI for Good award.

The pan-African competition drew over 1,160 applicants and signals a shift toward grant-based, non-dilutive support—an approach Naspers argues better meets the needs of early-stage women founders while offering networks and visibility to fuel scale.