The Problem
Africa has one of the highest rates of female participation in the workforce, with many women holding mid- to senior-level roles across corporate and traditional sectors. Yet the continent still faces a pipeline problem: very few of these highly skilled women transition into becoming tech founders.
While female entrepreneurship is high, women-led tech startups remain rare, contributing to the persistent funding gap where women receive less than 2% of venture capital.
Across our conversations with ecosystem leaders—most recently during our Women’s Month TechCabal Live event—one insight kept resurfacing:
There is an untapped pool of women in middle management who have strong startup ideas but lack the knowledge, exposure, confidence, or community to take the first step into building a tech-enabled business.
Without targeted support, this group rarely enters the tech entrepreneurship pipeline.
Our Approach
TC Insights, through its TC Battlefield platform, partnered with Ventures Platform to design and deliver a structured mentorship program specifically for women in middle management with early-stage tech ideas who want to transition into building a startup from scratch.
The program was designed to:
- simplify early-stage tech entrepreneurship
- demystify the founder journey
- provide access to experienced operators and investors
- support participants in developing their first MVP plans
- introduce them to a community of mentors and peers
Program Design
We implemented a 4-week masterclass series followed by a 1-on-1 mentorship and demo-style MVP review.
The sessions were co-designed with Ventures Platform operators and delivered by founders and ecosystem leaders.
Cohort size: 16 women selected from across Africa.
Curriculum Overview:
- Designing Tech-Enabled Business Models — Led by Damilola Teidi – Head of Platforms and Community, Ventures Platform
- Understanding Venture Capital — Led by Dolapo Morgan, Investment Principal, Ventures Platform
- Introduction to MVPs Using No-Code Tools — Led by David Orok – Founder NoCode Africa
- Transitioning From Corporate to Founder Life — Led by Seun Alley – Founder, Fez Delivery
At the end of the masterclasses, each participant worked on a reflective assignment:
- drafting their MVP plan
- creating a basic mockup using no-code tools
This culminated in a 1-on-1 mentorship day at the Ventures Platform Lagos office, where participants presented their ideas and received personalised investor/operator feedback.
What We Delivered
- A fully curated 5-week founder readiness program, combining education, mentorship, and independent practical assignments.
- Hands-on guidance from operators, investors, and product experts.
- A safe, supportive space where women could ask questions, validate their ideas, and refine their direction.
- A personalised MVP review session with Ventures Platform, giving each participant tailored advice and clarity on next steps.
- Curated community interactions, with opportunities for founders to learn from one another and engage directly with tech ecosystem leaders.
- Program operations and participant management across application, shortlisting, facilitation, communication, and event logistics.
The Outcome
The program delivered strong early results for a pilot cohort:
1. A New Wave of Founder-Ready Women
Participants began with ideas and curiosity; by the end of the program, they had:
- validated or refined their ideas
- developed clear MVP plans
- created mockups using no-code tools
- gained clarity on what it takes to become a tech founder
For many, this was their first real step into the startup ecosystem.
2. Stronger Founder Confidence & Capability
Participants reported:
- increased confidence in their ability to build a tech product
- clearer understanding of VC expectations
- practical insight into early-stage product development
- improved awareness of the mindset shift required to become a founder
3. A Strengthened Women-in-Tech Pipeline
The program successfully targeted and engaged a previously underserved group: corporate women with high potential and strong ideas but no formal entry point into tech entrepreneurship.
4. A Sustainable Model for Future Cohorts
The structure, learnings, and curriculum now provide a replicable blueprint for:
- future mentorship editions
- founder pipeline development programs
- ecosystem-building initiatives
This mentorship program demonstrated that with the right structure, guidance, and community, women in middle management can become a powerful source of new tech founders in Africa.
For TC Insights, the initiative reinforces our position as a trusted partner for ecosystem development, program design, and founder pipeline acceleration.
We look forward to expanding this model and scaling its impact across the continent.
