Prosus Tech FoundHER Challenge: Empowering Women in Tech This initiative aims to help female entrepreneurs secure funding, scale their ventures, and connect with global networks.
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The Prosus Tech FoundHER Challenge has been launched in collaboration with Encubay and VAIA Climate to bridge the funding gap for women-led startups in India's tech ecosystem. This initiative aims to help female entrepreneurs secure funding, scale their ventures, and connect with global networks.
"Encubay was built to bridge the equity gap for women entrepreneurs. Partnering on initiatives like the Prosus Tech FoundHER Challenge aligns with our commitment to empowering female founders with access to capital, networks, and mentorship," said Deeksha Ahuja, Founder of Encubay.
A Push for Women in Tech
Despite progress, women-led startups receive less than 5% of global venture capital funding. The FoundHER Challenge is designed to change this by providing catalytic capital to promising female-led startups in India.
Prosus, a tech investor, claims to have already invested nearly USD 9 billion in India, backing startups like Swiggy, Meesho, Captain Fresh, and Pharmeasy. Prosus' mission is to drive innovation and support businesses with a social impact, aligning with the goals of this challenge.
"Women in tech don't need more barriers—they need opportunities. Prosus Tech FoundHER Challenge is about action, backing women-led startups to scale, innovate, and lead," stated Prajna Khanna, Global Head of Sustainability - Vice President at Prosus Group and Naspers Limited.
How the Challenge Works
The challenge follows a structured format to identify and support high-potential women-led startups:
- Application Phase: Women-led tech startups can apply before April 4, 2025.
- Shortlisting: 30 founders will be selected based on innovation, scalability, and impact.
- Pitch Event: The top six founders will pitch their startups on May 25, 2025, in Bengaluru.
- Winner Selection: Three winners will receive up to USD 50,000 in equity-free funding.
The final pitches will be judged by an esteemed panel, including:
- Anjali Bansal, Founding Partner, Avaana Capital
- Archana Jahagirdar, Founder and Managing Partner, Rukam Capital
- Ronak Sandil, Director, Amazon Ventures
- Apurva Dixit, Investment Team, Blume Ventures
- Martin Tschopp, CEO, Prosus Ventures
- Priyanka Chopra, CFO, Prosus Ventures
A Platform for Women Entrepreneurs
Encubay's global network of investors, founders, and corporates will play a vital role in supporting participating startups. Avneet Kohli, Founder of Encubay, reiterated their commitment, stating, "We are dedicated to creating an inclusive ecosystem where women thrive as leaders in tech."
Encubay, a global business network with 10,000+ stakeholders, has helped over 7,500 founders grow and has collaborated with HSBC, Google, and AWS to support innovation and sustainability.
This initiative presents a golden opportunity for aspiring women entrepreneurs to showcase their ventures, connect with investors, and accelerate their growth in the tech landscape.
