the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
Júlia Silota, founder and CEO, J&G Environment Ltda (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Júlia Silota is the founder and CEO of J&G Environment Ltda, a Mozambican company operating in the environmental field, focused on the purchase and sale of solid waste, and providing solid waste collection services, solid waste management training, and environmental project evaluation. It was founded in August 2020 and began operations in 2023. It employs four people, two full-time and two part-time.
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Cláudia Machaieie, founder, Sea Glasses (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Cláudia Machaieie is the founder of Sea Glasses in Mozambique. She is a 28-year-old with a degree in Marine Biology, a postgraduate degree in Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship, and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Biology and Conservation Ecology. She has completed several technical courses in monitoring and project management. She began her activity as a volunteer and social activist at the age of 14 and is currently a founding volunteer of SOA Mozambique and a volunteer with Solo Adventures. She has worked in public (IIP), private (SEPPA, Centro Terra Viva), and international organizations (Girl Move Academy, UN - World Food Programme) developing activities in administration, monitoring, and management of humanitarian and environmental programs. Currently, she is the social responsibility coordinator at TOPACK Mozambique.
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Matilde Mawelele Rungo, founder, RealityTech Advisory (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Matilde Mawelele Rungo is a digital transformation consultant, cybersecurity specialist, and founder of RealityTech Advisory in Mozambique, where she leads technology-driven projects for businesses and startups. She is also an evangelist and the creator of MTI – A Triad of Hope for Children, an initiative that integrates Evangelism, Technology, and Innovation to empower young people and communities. With a global vision, Matilde is committed to advancing individuals, organizations, and ecosystems through technology, faith, and meaningful social impact. The business was launched in 2024 and today has created jobs for 6 people.
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Yanara Tavares Viana, founder, Vila Viana (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Yanara Tavares Viana is an engineer and project manager with over 15 years of experience in procurement, finance, and the development of sustainable solutions. Founder of Vila Viana, an ecological and agro-productive housing project in Catembe, she creates urban models that integrate solar energy, water harvesting and reuse, family farming, and micro-animal farming. Her vision is to combine accessible architecture with practical sustainability, inspiring communities to build in a greener, more resilient, and income-generating way. Yanara is dedicated to developing smart urban solutions for the future of Mozambique and the region.
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by Jenny Reid
Every year on December 9, the world observes International Anti-Corruption Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about corruption and its adverse effects on society, governance, and the economy. Corruption remains a pervasive problem that undermines democratic institutions, slows economic development, and contributes to governmental instability. In South Africa, the fight against corruption is particularly pertinent, especially in the wake of numerous high-profile scandals.
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by Dr Michélle Booysen
“Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.” — James Cash Penney
As part of our series exploring the role of process in business growth, this week I’d like to focus on the systems and workflows needed to manage rapid growth efficiently. Whether you're a tech startup scaling across Europe, an e-commerce business expanding from Johannesburg to Nairobi, or a services company growing regionally across Kenya, having the right processes in place is the difference between sustainable success and operational chaos.
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By Sandra B Zaca
I used to think influence was about being seen. That if I wasn’t in every room, posting every day, or building something loud enough, then I wasn’t doing enough. But life has taught me that true influence is not about noise, it's about presence. Not presence in the sense of popularity, but in the depth of your convictions, the clarity of your vision, and the courage to keep building quietly when no one is clapping.
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by Shenea Graham
In my last post, I spoke about regulatory compliance — how the rules, laws, and frameworks guide the way we handle personal data. But what happens when, despite all the rules and good intentions, something still goes wrong? That’s how I found myself diving into the topic of data breaches — one of the most sobering parts of learning about data privacy.
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by Adeolu Adewumi-Zer, Founder & CEO, ZER Consulting Africa
"Our legacy is more than just our business. When we empower others, especially our fellow women, we create a ripple effect that extends far beyond our immediate sphere."
Africa is alive with audacious dreams, bustling tech hubs, and villages brimming with innovation. And guess who's increasingly at the forefront, turning those visions into reality and disrupting industries? African women entrepreneurs! But here’s the honest truth: even the most brilliant idea, the most meticulously crafted strategy, can feel like a marathon without the right gear and running buddy.
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by Marilize Jacobs
For years, I was known as a “full-time mom.” It was my most important role. But when I stepped back into the “corporate world”, I didn't hide that chapter; I leveraged it. That journey, which I detailed on various platforms, wasn't just my story - it was my strategy. It proved that personal branding isn't a luxury; it's the core of modern business credibility. It transformed my identity into my most valuable professional equity.
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Isabel Mandofa, founder, Tropicalisa, Lda (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Isabel Mandofa is the founder of Tropicalisa, Lda, a Mozambican agri-food industry business focused on the sustainable transformation of local fruits into high-value-added products. It operates an integrated chain that buys surplus from small producers, processes, freezes and distributes fruit pulps, natural juices, syrups, sauces and frozen fruits, guaranteeing standardized quality, traceability and food safety. Tropicalisa’s core business is to make the most of national fruit, reduce post-harvest losses and supply the market during the off-season, providing practical, healthy and competitive solutions for supermarkets, restaurants, confectioneries, ice cream parlors, hotels and end consumers.
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Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge
Winners from Nigeria, Kenya, DRC and South Africa recognised in competition for building tech-enabled businesses solving real market problems
Ten women entrepreneur founders from across Africa pitched their technology businesses at the Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge finale on 19 November 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa, with five receiving equity-free grants totalling over $100,000. Naspers and Prosus developed the Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge in partnership with Lionesses of Africa, a network of 1.8 million women entrepreneurs across the continent. The partnership enabled the Challenge to reach founders across diverse African markets and sectors. The winners will also receive mentorship from experienced investors and entrepreneurs within the Naspers and Prosus ecosystem, connections to institutional investors, and support navigating business development across African markets.
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Cover Feature / Jules Ngankam, Group CEO, African Guarantee Fund (AGF)
On a crisp evening in The Hague on 17 September 2025, the 3rd Start-Up Night Africa event in The Netherlands took place, hosted by Lionesses of Africa in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The event served as a rallying point for improving access to finance, supporting women entrepreneurs building high-growth businesses in Africa. Taking the stage, African Guarantee Fund (AGF) Group CEO Jules Ngankam delivered a message that resonated long after the applause: women are the backbone of Africa’s economies - and when their financial potential is unlocked, the continent’s growth story is rewritten.
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Inez van Oord, co-founder, Fiber Foods Group
Lioness Pitch Profile / Start-Up Night Africa, The Hague, 2025
Inez van Oord is the co-founder of Fiber Foods Group, a company that creates economic, social, and sustainable value for all stakeholders. Fiber Foods develops clean-label, whole-food ingredients in Africa that help food producers meet the growing consumer demand for healthier, more sustainable products. Fiber Foods is the inventor of PrimeJack® — a premium dehydrated jackfruit ingredient designed for large-scale food manufacturers.
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Marthe Paauwe, founder, Money Phone BV
Lioness Pitch Profile / Start-Up Night Africa, The Hague, 2025
Marthe Paauwe is the founder of Money Phone BV, a Dutch Fintech founded in 2018 that provides fast, affordable, and transparent loans to MSMEs, students, and smallholder farmers. Using AI credit scoring and mobile platforms, they empower the unbanked with inclusive access to credit; anytime, anywhere. Through MoneyPhone Africa, they aim to provide access to finance through their advanced technology, empowering rural communities in Rwanda and beyond while keeping costs minimal.
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Podcast Interview
Following his powerful opening address at the 3rd Start-Up Night Africa event in The Hague, the Netherlands, on 17 September 2025, Mr Jules Ngankam, Group Chief Executive Officer of the African Guarantee Fund, was a guest on the Lioness Radio Podcast speaking about the journey from Bias to Bankable - AGF’s Case for Financing Women Entrepreneurs.
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Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge
Each year, the Start-Up Night Africa event in The Hague provides a powerful platform to update key stakeholders, partners and women entrepreneurs on key initiatives underway, important to stimulating greater investment in women-founded businesses. At this year’s event on 17 September 2025, Lionesses of Africa founder and ceo, Melanie Hawken, updated the audience on the launch of the exciting Tech FoundHER Africa Challenge. This impactful initiative, created by Global technology group, Naspers and Prosus, and conducted in partnership with Lionesses of Africa, invited applications from women-led tech and tech-enabled startups across the continent. Originally piloted in India earlier this year, the programme launched in Africa as part of their commitment to championing and supporting female founders in technology. Applications closed on 30 September, and the Challenge is now in the first round of screening, where an expert committee will shortlist 30 candidates for further evaluation.
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Feature
In Africa’s dynamic entrepreneurship landscape, the conversation around access to finance for women-led enterprises has never been more critical. At the Lionesses of Africa Start-Up Night Africa 2025 in The Hague, leading women entrepreneurs and investors came together to explore how capital, when thoughtfully structured, can unlock exponential growth. The event, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, showcased real-world success stories of African women founders scaling beyond borders and redefining the continent’s investment narrative.
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Lioness Pitch Profile / Start-Up Night Africa, The Hague, 2025
Nkem Okocha is the founder of Mama Moni, a fintech company that provides inclusive digital financial services tailored for women in Nigeria. The company’s advanced female-only agent network helps to drive financial services to financially excluded women and the last mile.
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Lioness Pitch Profile / Start-Up Night Africa, The Hague, 2025
Claudia Castellanos, co-founder and CEO of Black Mamba Foods in Eswatini, is passionate about The Black Mamba Manifesto: Building a Better World Through Good Food. Black Mamba is an African brand that makes bold, award-winning condiments with organically grown ingredients sourced from small-holder farmers. Exported to 12+ countries, the brand’s products deliver flavour with impact, uplifting 1,000+ people while proving food can be good for you, farmers, and the planet.
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