The 2026 KPMG Female Founders in Africa Competition has officially opened applications, inviting dynamic female entrepreneurs from across the continent to participate in this year’s edition.
The initiative is designed to empower women entrepreneurs to make a positive impact in their communities while building resilient and scalable ventures. The 2026 Female Founders in Africa Competition is open, and calling on qualified applicants to take advantage of the opportunity.
KPMG is committed to supporting women-led businesses because many female founders in Africa continue to face major barriers. The most frequently reported challenges for female founders in Africa are related to funding, credibility, and access to networks.
The Female Founders in Africa competition aims to address these challenges by offering essential support, resources, and networking opportunities. It also seeks to equip female founders to thrive amid uncertainty and change in an evolving global environment.
KPMG is delighted to invite applications from dynamic female entrepreneurs across the continent, and is seeking resilient and ambitious ventures – owned and led by women – across a diverse array of sectors, including technology, health, agriculture, and beyond.
Benefits of the competition include access to the KPMG mentorship programme, access to investors’ deals, branding and visibility for startups, and access to community engagements.
To be eligible, applicants must be a registered company in the country or region where the final is being held. The business must be female-owned, active for at least one year, and be tech-enabled, tech-driven, or tech-led. It must not be majority-owned by a large corporate entity.
Female founders are encouraged to apply, especially those who have demonstrated tenacity in navigating challenges, possess a clear growth vision, and show strong market potential. If you have an innovative business model and an unwavering commitment to driving positive transformation within your community, this initiative is for you.
Applicants must be able to conduct all pitches in English and be available to pitch at country or regional semi-finals and finals within the outlined timeline. Finalists must also be available to pitch at the 2026 Finals.
The application process begins with a call for applications and submission of supporting details. A panel of experts will then conduct shortlist selection and invite selected teams to a pitching event. Note that KMPG can move competitors to the online other countries group and have them compete there if necessary.
Shortlisted applicants will participate in regional pitching before a jury of investors, where regional winners will be announced. The competition will then proceed to pitching finals for regional winners, culminating in the announcement of the Best female-founder for early, growth, and mature ventures.
To apply, interested applicants should visit https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=uyT_3okgAESMjvceaAN4sow0Xet6uTtAp5n14pI5HttURDNGMjZYRVM1QlZLR0ZDM1g2V0dPRUpSSi4u.
