Seedstars and the SANAD Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) have launched the SANAD Elevate Her Programme, a multi-phase initiative supporting female-led and 2X-aligned startups across the Middle East, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The programme provides access to finance, capacity building, and investment-readiness support to help women founders expand their businesses.

Women entrepreneurs in these regions face an estimated US$42 billion funding gap, alongside climate-related challenges, limited access to markets and finance, and disproportionate household responsibilities.

The SANAD Elevate Her Programme aims to address these constraints by equipping female-led ventures with the tools, networks, and capital required to grow.

The programme will support 40 high-potential startups aligned with the 2X Challenge through structured acceleration, tailored advisory, and investment-readiness activities.

With a focus on job creation and economic resilience, it seeks to strengthen local entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Eligible startups must be based in Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Senegal, Tunisia, Uganda, or Yemen. Priority sectors include sustainability, agrifinance, and fintech.

Selected ventures will progress through three phases: a regional acceleration programme offering training and mentoring; a competition and networking event with investor engagement; and, for selected participants, post-accelerator support including advanced coaching and potential follow-on funding.

Participants will also have access to SMART Methodology, powered by SIGMA, an AI-enabled platform that provides real-time business support, tailored progress tracking, and impact measurement.

The collaboration combines SANAD’s mission to advance entrepreneurship and resilience in the Middle East and Africa with Seedstars’ experience supporting startups in over 90 emerging markets.

“Seedstars has worked with thousands of startups across emerging markets, and we know the immense potential of women-led businesses when given the right tools and access to capital. Through this programme with SANAD, we’re bringing our global expertise and networks to support founders who are solving some of the most pressing challenges in their regions,”

said Sabrina Salama, Head of Partnership in MENA at Seedstars.

Applications are now open for female founders and women-led businesses across MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The deadline to apply is 26 November 2025.

Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Middle East, based on image by DC Studio via Freepik