Application Deadline: August 14th 2019
In the last few years, quite a number of technology startups across Africa have received an influx of capital. However, a majority of these companies have been founded by men.
In 2015, YCombinator (YC), the world’s best startup accelerator, admitted its first batch of African startups. Since then, over 30 startups have been accepted into the programme. Yet, only 3 of these companies – Buycoins, Schoolable, and Tress – have had female co-founders and only 1 – Tress – has had a female CEO. This trend is concerning.
In YC’s 2017 annual letter, Sam Altman stated that the percentage of women who apply to YC is roughly the same as the percentage of women who get funded. This is great news! It means if more African women-led companies apply, more African women-led companies will be accepted into YC.
At FAVE WOMEN, we don’t just want to complain about these injustices, we want to resolve them. This is why we are working with some amazing YC alumni to make it easier for African female founders leading tech startups to get into YC. By doing this, we hope to build a future where more women can lead high growth venture backed technology companies.
Over the 3 week period, we will help connect you to a number of YC alumni who will review your YC applications to ensure they meet YC criteria and – if they wish – directly refer your company to YC to increase your chances of getting in.
If you’re an African woman leading a technology startup with :
- A live technology driven product or service
- a technical co-founder
- any level of traction
How it works:
– Receive proven techniques to successfully answer Y-Combinator’s application questions and effectively translate your African business for global investors
– Get exclusive access to successful application answers from African YC Alumni
– Schedule 1-on-1 office hours with 10+ YC Alumni from Paystack, Flutterwave, 54gene, and more. Get help to review your application & perfect your 1 minute pitch
– Complete your application 2 weeks before the YC deadline (Sept 25th)
– Pitch your company to 10+ African YC Alum for the opportunity to get referrals into Y-Combinator (alumni referrals significantly increase your chances of acceptance into YC)
All we ask is that you don’t doubt yourself. You may think your company doesn’t have the potential to get into YC, or that your idea isn’t good enough, or that your company is too early, but you are most likely wrong. Let us be the judge of that.
Just click here to fill this form and give us some information about yourself and your business and we will get back to you shortly.
This opportunity closes on August 14th – so don’t wait, apply here! Know any women who are brilliant and have the ambition to lead a high growth tech startup? Please share this article with them.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the FAVE WOMEN Y Combinator Program 2019