Course Modules

 

Unit 1: Overview of the African Women Leadership Fund
Unit 2: Opportunities for Aspiring Women Fund Managers
Unit 3: Becoming an Emerging Women Fund Manager - General Partner

 

Unit 1:

The African Women Leadership Fund; is an Impact Fund, with an accompanying technical assistance facility, focused on accelerating the growth of African women-led businesses.
The establishment of this Fund is being done under the leadership of the UN Economic Commission on Africa, UN Women, the African Union Commission, and the African Women Leadership Network.
Over the next decade, the Fund targets investing up to USD 500 million in African women-led companies, through and in partnership with African women fund managers, crowding-in an additional USD 2 billion, and accelerating sustainable development and poverty alleviation in that same period.
We are looking for aspiring women fund managers who are ready to work with us in this project and set up regional funds to invest in the vast opportunities across Africa. If you are a finance MBA graduate, entrepreneur or a finance executive, and are excited about being a part of this great initiative, then complete this short course and answer the questions in it.
Over the coming months, we will be selecting the most aspiring African Women Fund Managers who will join the first cohort of fund managers, so don't miss out on this amazing opportunity!

  • Tell us more about your experience and background. Please be as detailed as possible to support your application.
  • What are the opportunities that you would like to invest in? Please provide any information about your past experiences if any, this will support your capacity to realize this vision.
  • How does your vision uniquely support the promotion of African women fund managers, and women in the African industry?

 

Unit 2:

The African Women Leadership Fund aims to enable success and drive sustainable impact.
In establishing such a fund, the Sponsors aim to create a sustainable platform to accelerate the growth of women-owned and operated companies across Africa, as captains of industry, in the startup space, as well as creating a framework for support of microenterprise.
The Fund will also work with and support women-owned and run fund management companies, and women-focused impact funds. To do this, the Fund will raise investment and technical assistance capital and build a platform to identify, mentor, support, and invest in women entrepreneurs at scale.
By partnering with fund managers, applying market best practices, and taking a patient, sustainable approach, with a heavy emphasis on capacity building, management training, and investing in human capital, in close partnership with industry experts, the Fund aims to crowd-in capital and enable representative allocation of capital to women-led businesses, and promote the role of women in the African investment ecosystem.

  • If you were selected as an emerging manager, how would you invest up to USD 2 million that may be allocated for investment?
  • How will you source, diligence, and promote identified women-led businesses for investment?
  • How do you anticipate working with investment companies, and realizing sales/exits at the end of the investment?

 

Unit 3:

In this video, we will explain what is the role of the General Partner in the Emerging Manager Seed Capital and the criteria for investment.
The fund will allocate capital to be invested by selected aspiring African Women Managers, to establish a track record and sample portfolio, allowing them to ultimately raise their own funds. This is a critical stepping-stone for aspiring fund managers, without which they cannot raise a first fund.
As a start, the Fund will invest a total of 2 million USD with chosen General Partners. Each General Partner would, in turn, invest around 500,000 dollars as a direct investment in portfolio companies that they have sourced, diligenced, and managed. The investment duration is 4-7 years with a return that is in line with the market and may target specific sectors or strategies to address identified regional priorities.
The role of the Fund is very active where:
i. Fund management and/or Implementation Partners serve on the Investment Committee for all investments;
ii. Investments are done on behalf of, and warehoused by the Fund, leveraging the work of selected Aspiring African Women Managers. The Fund retains full ownership of all investments;
iii. Fund systems, procedures, and compliance apply to all investments, which must thus be monitored and audited; The fund, working with the selected Aspiring Managers, reports on each investee company, including with respect to investee operations and E&S metrics.
Answer the remaining questions below and we wish you the best of luck!

  • Please provide as much information as possible about you and your team, and why you believe you should be selected as an emerging fund manager?
  • Please provide as much information as possible about you and your team, and why you believe you should be selected as an emerging fund manager?
  • How would succeeding as an emerging fund manager impact your long-term vision for yourself and your team.