DCA announces 2018 Miss.Africa seed funding

DotConnect Africa’s, Miss.Africa Digital program has launched its 2018 initiative to mobilize the third Round of Miss.Africa Seed Funding, for Tech initiatives throughout Africa.

Dubbed as #SheAppsAfrica, the Miss.Africa Seed Fund, will again offer US$7000 in grants to support women and girls in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields to launch or expand their own initiatives that will increase digital opportunities in IT related training, jobs and leadership roles.

The 2016/17 winner of the US$5000 grand prize was awarded to Abocoders, a Nigeria based initiative. Bahir Dar University STEM Center, Ethiopia and Ubongo Game Lab, Zambia both received a sum of One Thousand United States Dollars (1,000 USD) for the second seed fund category.

Hundreds of Women have so far benefited from the Miss.Africa seed funding. The program expects the number to increase by the end of the year when the 2016/17 cohort graduate.

The second round of Miss.Africa Seed Fund received over 200 applications from 24 countries across Africa.  At 33%, Nigeria took the first place for most Miss.Africa seed fund applications submitted, Kenya was second with 11% while the third place was taken by Ghana at 9%.

For the first round in 2016, Miss.Africa Seed Fund received over 90 applicants from more than 18 Countries across the African continent. Over fifty (50) women, selected from over three hundred applicants, benefited directly by receiving training from the 2016/17 Miss.Africa Seed Fund Winner, eMobilis.