Future Is Female Mentorship Program opens applications for 6th edition, to unveil top 25 at Africa Fintech Summit in Kigali

By Elizabeth Angira

The Future Is Female Mentorship Program, Africa’s first PR and communications mentorship initiative dedicated exclusively to female tech founders, has opened applications for its sixth edition.

Founder Claudine Moore, who is also Managing Director of Allison Worldwide, said applications are now live on F6S and will close on November 13, 2026.

The Top 25 finalists for the 2026 cohort will be unveiled on November 19, 2026, at the Africa Fintech Summit (AFTS) in Kigali, Rwanda. The summit runs from November 18 to 20 and will bring together fintech founders, investors, policymakers and innovation leaders from across the continent.

“As part of its presence at AFTS Kigali, the program will also host a dedicated masterclass for female founders attending the summit, focused on founder visibility, communications strategy, and positioning for growth, partnerships and investment,” Moore said.

Launched on Africa Day in 2020, the program has grown steadily, drawing applications from 37 African countries, a 253% increase from its first year.

Having previously received support from Google and Salesforce, this year’s edition will feature expanded ecosystem partnerships across technology, media, venture capital, business development and innovation. These will bring finalists additional mentorship, training and advisory support.

“The relaunch of The Future Is Female Mentorship Program marks an exciting new chapter for the incredible community of African female founders we have built over the years,” Moore said.

The program is free and fully virtual. It will offer specialized masterclasses and tailored sessions on communications and visibility strategies, founder storytelling and brand positioning, media relations and thought leadership, digital marketing and audience engagement, personal branding, stakeholder communications and investor visibility, and business growth communications.

“The program has always been about more than mentorship; it is about creating an ecosystem where female founders can truly thrive,” Moore said. “As we return in 2026 with expanded partnerships, broader industry expertise and new collaborators, we are excited to provide even greater support, opportunities and impact for finalists across Africa and beyond.”

Special consideration will be given to startups focused on AI, health, education, finance, agriculture and sustainability, as well as those addressing the needs of African women and girls.

The 2026 edition continues its collaboration with F6S as the application platform partner, and with the Africa Fintech Summit for the finalist announcement and masterclass. Previous partners have included TechCabal, Google for Startups Accelerator, Women Founders Africa Program, Salesforce Ventures Impact Fund and Africa Communications Week.

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