TenaSeb, Makoyamoms Named Finalists in African Early-stage Startup Competition

Tech African Women (TAW), a new Addis Ababa-based continental initiative that aims to support and accelerate women-owned African tech startups, has selected TenaSeb and Makoyamoms as country finalists in its first call for applications.

Tenaseb is an application that provides education about sexual and reproductive health through consultations for women. Meanwhile, Makoyamoms is a platform that helps mothers easily get a caregiver at their disposal while offering young girls who have just graduated a job.

The two early-stage startups are part of the eight finalists from four African countries and will go through TWA’s incubation program, competing to come to the top.

TAW is spearheaded by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in partnership with Betacube. TAW opened its call in June 2022, inviting female-led idea-stage startups from Ethiopia, Senegal, Tanzania, and Tunisia to submit their applications.

338 applicants applied to be part of the program, out of which 74 women were selected. A series of intensive 3-day training boot camps and pitching competitions were held in Tunisia, Senegal, Ethiopia, and Tanzania in partnership with local ecosystem players.

The first and second place best startup ideas from each of the pitching competitions hosted in each city passed into the next stage. The winning team of each bootcamp also won a cash prize of $2000.

Now, the eight finalists will go through a 2-month online incubation program to reach market and investment readiness.

In December 2022, a final ceremony is to be held in Addis Ababa, at the ECA Conference Center, where the finalists will be invited to pitch to win the final prize of the program (a cash grant of $7000 for the best startup).