Norrsken East Africa and its partners launched the second cohort of Women in Business Initiative which supports and accelerates the growth of women-led tech-enabled ventures, on April 17.

The initiative is implemented by Norrsken Foundation in partnership with the Embassy of Sweden in Rwanda.

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The second cohort features 15 female entrepreneurs who will undergo an extensive training programme for six months, which will tackle several challenges female founders in the tech space face to kick-start and scale up their ventures, said Phionah Ingabire, the Women in Business Initiative manager.

She noted that from the previous pilot cohort, the organising team fetched lessons that informed different approaches to improve the training and attain the desired results.

"We made sure that businesses selected for this cohort shared a level of early traction so that we can deliver tailored support by providing individual coaching and mentorship for each founder,” she said.

Business experts in the country were part of the selection process, facilitated by the implementation partners, she added.

Through these partnerships, Ingabire noted the addition of wellness sessions to the workshops which will facilitate the founders with the right state of mind to complete the programme and graduate with significant outcomes in terms of revenue, profitability, and job creation.

Furthermore, she encouraged the cohort members to be resilient, passionate, and time-conscious as they navigate the learning scheme put in place by different mentors that they will encounter during the incubation period.

Amb. Alice Nkulikiyimfura, BPN Rwanda Country Director, noted that the founders ought to commit to the six-month training for the expected outcomes.

"We are blessed to be in a country that has so many opportunities and with a striving economy, choosing to be an entrepreneur is a wise move. However, it is not an easy journey to reach profitability and scalability. That’s why we are here as partners.”

Michelle Umurungi, Deputy Managing Director of Norrsken East Africa, commended members of the cohort for their different innovations that bring solutions to most world challenges and encouraged them to continue doing just that.

"Being a founder takes courage and vision, and I know you are more than capable. You are founders who happen to be women, which means you are capable and shouldn’t be defined by their gender,” she explained.

As the launch event rolled out, the 15 founders were asked to envision where they see their companies over the next five years and everyone had a turn to share their ultimate goal.

For Sandrine Ingabire, Founder of Tulivu Home Solutions—an outsourcing company that trains and provides household helpers equipped with domestic and soft skills—her business will be the top and most trusted household help provider across the region.

Her expectations from the incubation include gaining the know-how to run a successful business and technology skills that will allow visibility and growth while creating the social impact that is at the core of her business.

Amina Niyigena, Co-founder of Bookly Africa, a workspace that connects travellers to local tour operators, and alumni in the first cohort of the Women in Business Initiative, described the programme as ‘a game-changer' in terms of a pool of network that comes with it.

"Being a part of amazing business women that offer support, experience sharing, and peer learning, has been a game-changer for me. It helped me find new ways to shape my business and helped me with incredible personal growth,” she said.

Niyigena added that the cohort should leverage every learning opportunity it is served with and build long-lasting friendships and partnerships that will go beyond the incubation period.