Female entrepreneurs in the green economy have additional time to take a chance at being part of the $200,000 She Sustains Accelerator programme of the United States Agency for International Development and Amazon.
Project managers Clean Technology Hub announced on 29 March a shift of the closing date to 12 April in response to enquiries and a surge of interest.
Fifty-six female entrepreneurs will share the $200,000 in grant aid offered to scale their businesses courtesy of the Climate Gender Equity Fund (CGEF) of the United States Agency for International Development and Amazon.
Ifeoma Malo, Clean Technology Hub CEO and founder stated: “The sheer volume of inquiries and applications we have received in the last week is truly inspiring. We are thrilled to extend the deadline to ensure all these talented women have the opportunity to join this transformative programme.”
The She Sustains Accelerator Programme empowers women-led cleantech start-ups by providing them with the resources, mentorship, and industry connections needed to thrive.
It offers intensive workshops and training, mentorship from industry experts, access to funding and investment opportunities and networking.
In the workshops, participants will develop critical business skills in fundraising, marketing, and product development, and industry experts will mentor them.
They will also connect with potential investors, secure the capital needed to scale their businesses and build strong relationships with other female entrepreneurs and industry professionals.
Clean Technology Hub encourages interested persons to click the link https://tinyurl.com/CTHSheSustains. and commence the process.
According to USAID, the Climate Gender Equity Fund “will increase access to climate finance for gender-responsive, women-led, and women-benefiting organisations that address climate change.”
CGEF is one of the first major activities of USAID’s Climate Finance for Development Accelerator (CFDA), a $250 million initiative designed to mobilise $2.5 billion in public and private climate investments by 2030 to fund a range of climate change mitigation and adaptation solutions focused on scaling up the transition to an equitable and resilient net-zero economy.
Launched with an initial commitment of $6 million between USAID and Amazon, CGEF seeks to leverage at least $60 million in capital from corporations, foundations, bi/multi-laterals, and other funders. CGEF will reach women climate leaders in global emerging markets where USAID operates (see additional detail below). Additionally, through the Climate Pledge Fund’s Female Founder Initiative, Amazon has separately committed to investing $50 million in women-led and women-founded climate technology companies that will enable Amazon to meet its net-zero carbon goals.
