The programme was created to develop leadership, technological and business skills in female-owned businesses in the SADC region to support deal-making and business acceleration in the biosciences arena. It was launched on 21 February 2017, during the SANBio Annual Event 2017, by the NEPAD Southern Africa Network for Biosciences (SANBio) with support from the BioFISA II programme (a Finnish-Southern African Partnership Programme to strengthen the NEPAD SANBio Network).
SANBio (The Southern Africa Network for Biosciences) is a platform for shared biosciences research, development and innovation to address health and nutrition issues of Southern Africa, and it is hosted by the CSIR.
FemBioBiz Pitch Training Sessions have already been conducted in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and Botswana. The training sessions involve a free but intensive two-day training course on moving the participants’ businesses forward through pitches and presentations. Participants also gain exposure and become part of a network of like-minded people across borders. At the end of each training session, participants have the opportunity to pitch their businesses to a panel of judges.
The top performers from each country then proceeds to a next round and will eventually have the opportunity to meet investors, business experts and potential mentors and visit Cape Town to participate at the 2017 SA Innovation Summit. The overall best performer will receive a grant of R250,000 from SANBio to move her business forward and will also include a trip to attend Europe’s leading start-up event Slush 2017 in Finland, where international opportunities await.
