African women building technology startups can apply for the sixth edition of The Future Is Female Mentorship Program, with applications closing on November 13, 2026.
The programme will announce its 25 finalists at the Africa Fintech Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, on November 19.
The summit is scheduled for November 18 to 20 at the Kigali Convention Centre.
Claudine Moore, Managing Director for Africa at Allison+Partners and founder of the programme, said the 2026 edition will offer expanded partnerships and additional support for selected founders.
“The programme has always been about more than mentorship — it is about creating an ecosystem where female founders can truly thrive,” Moore said.
The finalists will receive virtual mentorship, specialised masterclasses and sessions tailored to their businesses.
The training will cover communications planning, founder storytelling, brand positioning, media relations, digital marketing, personal branding, stakeholder communications and visibility to investors.
A separate masterclass will be held for female founders attending the summit in Kigali.
It will focus on improving founder visibility, developing communications strategies and positioning businesses for growth, partnerships and investment, according to the programme announcement.
Applications are being submitted through F6S.
The programme’s website says it is intended for early-stage African tech businesses, including startups based on the continent or in the diaspora that serve African markets or Africans abroad.
Applicants should have a business plan, a minimum viable product, a functional website and some initial traction.
The company should be less than two years old, and at least one of its founders must be a woman.
The programme is complimentary. Special consideration will be given to startups working in artificial intelligence, health, education, finance, agriculture and sustainability, as well as businesses developing solutions for African women and girls.
Launched on Africa Day in 2020, the mentorship initiative has received applications from 37 African countries. Organisers say that represents a 253 per cent increase from its inaugural year.
The programme describes itself as the first PR and communications mentorship initiative dedicated exclusively to African female tech founders.
The sixth edition will continue its collaboration with F6S as the application platform partner and the Africa Fintech Summit for the Kigali announcement and masterclass.
Previous programme partners have included TechCabal, Google for Startups Accelerator’s Women Founders Africa Program, Salesforce Ventures Impact Fund and Africa Communications Week.
