ENTREPRENEURS TO GRAB $10,000 AT GTBANK, SHE LEADS AFRICA PITCH COMPETITION

In the continuous search and supporting Entrepreneurs both big and small in 2015, She Leads Africa has partnered with the Foremost Institutional Bank, GTBank, and the launch of her second annual Entrepreneur Showcase for the most talented female entrepreneurs in Nigeria and Africa in Diaspora.

The flagship of the event is the premier platform for young female entrepreneurs looking to grow and scale their businesses across Africa. Participants in the competition will vie for US $15,000 in cash prizes, media features in international news outlets, and exclusive meetings with top investors.

The 2014 edition received nearly 400 applications from 27 countries for just 10 finalist positions. The top finalists were featured in Forbes, Ventures Africa, Venture Burn and several other international news outlets. They also had the opportunity to pitch their businesses to a panel of leading business personalities including Aliko Dangote, Hakeem Belo-Osagie, Audu Maikori and Omoyemi Akerele. Empowers

Based on the fact that female entrepreneurs are often underestimated, hindered and overlooked, GTBank and partner found the need to empower the zealous entrepreneurs in the continent.

This year teamwork championed by GTBank is to illuminate on women who are driving Africa's growth through leadership, commerce and innovation.

Corroborating the need of empowering female entrepreneurs, Yasmin Bello-Osagie, Co-founder, She Leads Africa says, “ We decided to launch She Leads Africa because we saw a critical gap in the market - no one was investing in high growth female entrepreneurs.

Through our Entrepreneur Showcase we not only give exceptional entrepreneurs a space to connect with investors and the media but we also provide them with training and mentoring to ensure that they are able to take advantage of the experience."

Affirming the effect of the competition, the 2014 winner, Cherae Robinson founder of travel startup Tastemakers Africa stated "participating in the She Leads Africa pitch competition literally changed my life and my business, by putting me on a rocket ship towards success." 

"I was able to hire my first employee with my winnings and I continue to receive support from the team nearly one year later," she concluded.

Application window has been specially extended for SME businesses listed on the GTBank SME MarketHub until 27^th July 2015 at 11:59pm. Businesses from any industry are eligible to apply as long as there is one woman on the founding team between 18-35 years old. To apply please visitwww.smemarkethub.com/she-leads-africa and don't forget to attach your pitch deck. 

Considering the fact that there is nothing like concrete plan, paying attention to dreams, nurture it and taking advantage of every opportunities, Anals Nin urges “ Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country”.