This New Platform Aims To Close Africa’s Funding Gap For Women Founders
The LaunchPad, a new platform by Alami Capital with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), will debut at GITEX Nigeria 2025, spotlighting women founders and addressing Africa’s funding gap for women-led startups, according to a news release.
Across Africa, women own 27% of businesses and contribute 13% of the continent’s GDP, per the release. Yet, they only receive 7% of total venture capital funding. The LaunchPad aims to change that by deploying $250,000 in catalytic capital to five selected ventures after the event, per the release. Along with funding, founders will receive mentorship, regulatory readiness, and connections across the ecosystem to help their companies scale.
“Who gets funded determines what gets built, and what gets built will define the economic future of Africa,” Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director general of NITDA, said in the news release. “The LaunchPad ensures women founders are not just part of the conversation but central to Africa’s innovation economy. Closing this funding gap for women is not charity, it’s one of the smartest bets we can make for Africa’s future.”
At GITEX Nigeria 2025, the program will also have a Funding Pavilion, where promising women-led startups across technology, the creative economy, and impact sectors will be showcased; Fireside for Scale, a dialogue with African CEOs and global investors on market expansion and IPO readiness; and Capital Readiness Clinics, investor-led sessions for founders preparing to raise funding. A ceremonial bell-ringing, called “To the Stars,” will also take place with the SEC and women entrepreneurs, symbolizing their rise in Africa’s capital markets.
The LaunchPad differs from traditional grant models like the Cartier Women’s Initiative or short-term accelerators, the news release states. Instead, it offers equity investment, regulatory de-risking, and a continuous pathway for women-led startups to grow and attract institutional funding. African women entrepreneurs will find eligible ventures with a minimum viable product, validated traction, and clear growth strategies.
“As an investor, I witness the economics of exclusion every day. This is about building a vetted, investable pipeline of women-led ventures grounded in institutional rigor,” said Olu Olufemi-White, CEO of Alami Capital, per the release. “Our mission is to shift capital flows, transform investment behavior, and unlock Africa’s full innovation potential.”
Applications for The LaunchPad have closed. The selected startups are set to be announced at GITEX Nigeria 2025, taking place Sept. 3–4 in Lagos, Nigeria, according to Alami Capital’s LinkedIn page.
