Introducing: FemSTEM Africa
Created in 2017, H2i’s FemSTEM program looks to inspire, engage, and celebrate women entrepreneurs in the health space. Since its inception, FemSTEM has had a significant impact to women-led ventures in and outside the H2i eco-system. In the past two years alone, the proportion of women-led ventures in H2i has risen from 28% to 46%.
As part of the African Higher Education Collaboration‘s Health Entrepreneurship (HENT) Pillar, H2i will be expanding FemSTEM to the African continent as part of its objectives to increase women-led ventures on the continent. Women entrepreneurs and all those interested are invited to attend the inaugural FemSTEM Africa event series! Women-led ventures will also have the opportunity to apply to be a part of the culminating pitch competition, with a chance to win funding, and in-kind legal services. FemSTEM will be held from April to June, and will be virtual to allow participants from across the continent and beyond to participate.
This program is brought to you by the H2i at the University of Toronto, SE Ghana and Sustineri Attorneys, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.
What to Expect:
The event series will begin with a Kickoff Event & Panel, which will be held on April 17, 2024 from 8:00-9:30 AM Eastern Time with the following speakers from the African Impact Challenge’s 2022 Cohort, who are now part of H2i:
- Dr. Christelle Gireaneza (Founder, URUKUNDO Initiative)
- Dr. Nikita Muthuuri (Founder, Vectorgram)
- Sylvia Nyaga (Founder, Syna Consultancy)
The three women founders will be sharing their entrepreneurial journey which will include their successes, challenges and supports which have helped them thus far, and answering questions from the audience.
Subsequently, H2i will host three Fireside at FemSTEM events, each welcoming one remarkable established woman founder to dive deep into her career to date:
- May 1, 2024 | 8:00-9:00 AM Eastern Time: Elsie Amoako (Founder, Mino Care, formerly Mommy Monitor)
- May 15, 2024 | 8:00-9:00 AM Eastern Time: Elizabeth Johnson (Founder, African Medical Tourism
- May 29, 2024 | 8:00-9:00 AM Eastern Time: Anna Ampaw (Founder, eFeMs)
The series will end with the FemSTEM Africa Pitch Competition where 6 finalists will pitch to distinguished judges and audience for the chance to win $25,000 CAD in cash prizes and $15,000 CAD in in-kind legal services. The top three winners will win cash prizes and in-kind legal services. The pitch competition will take place on on June 19, 2024 from 8:00-10:00 AM Eastern Time, and will be judged by Leah Nduati and Grace Almendras-Castillo, both pioneers in their fields, having run successful organizations with years of experience in their respective fields.
You can register now for the FemSTEM Africa Kickoff by clicking here!
All events will be listed at h2i.utoronto.ca/events and h2i.utoronto.ca/international!
Questions? Contact H2i International Programs Coordinator Amanda Dlamini at amanda.dlamini@utoronto.ca.