Rebecca Nanono, the Founder of Shetechtive has been listed among the twenty-five (25) Africans entering the second cohort of the Future Is Female PR Mentorship Program which is run by a New York-based public relations agency; C. Moore Media International Public Relations (CMM) to teach African women the fundamentals of PR and communications.
The whole aim of the Future Is Female PR Mentorship program is to equip mentees with insights, knowledge, and skills into PR and communication fundamentals for tech startups from how to create and execute communication plans to how to leverage PR and communications to access a wider customer reach, attract investors, and more.
The Future Is Female Mentorship Program was launched in 2020 —receiving 139 applications from 18 different African countries. Ultimately only 12 startups from Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya were selected. While announcing the second cohort, CMM said they were expanding the program and increasing the cohort of selected mentees from 12 to 25.
There was a 30% increase in the number of applications submitted and eventually, CMM invited twenty-five (25) startups from 12 countries including the first participants from Francophone Africa to join the second cohort of the Future Is Female Mentorship Program. The startups were eligible for the program because their businesses were less than 2 years old, had not raised Series A funding, had a business plan, had a functional website, had a minimum viable product, among others.
The 12 startups emerged from Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Egypt, Eswatini, Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. Nigeria in particular had the most finalists.
Rebecca Nanono from Uganda who is among the twenty-five (25) mentees, is the Founder of Shetechtive, a startup that enables girls and young women to have access to quality, inclusive and equitable education by providing them with study tablets and laptops through installment payment plans.
“I am happy to be among the 25. The best part about this is the international exposure that my work will be gaining,” Nanono told PC Tech Magazine.
Nanono becomes the fourth Ugandan female entrepreneur to be part of the Future Is Female PR Mentorship Program. An honorable mention; Shamim Nabuuma Kaliisa, who was listed as one of the first entrepreneurs in the inaugural class of Bloomberg New Economy Catalysts is an Alumnae of the Future is Female Mentorship Program, and CMM is proud of her accomplishments. Kaliisa is the founder of Chil Artificial Intelligence (CAI) Lab and she was among the 12 African female-led startups selected in CMM’s inaugural the Future is Female Mentorship Program.
The 2021 cohort includes:
- Selma Ndi Ekfvei (Cameroon), Founder of Data Girl Technologies.
- Nadege Bolingo (the Democratic Republic of Congo), Founder of Connecticut Institute for Social Entrepreneurship.
- Heba Eldessouky (Egypt), Founder of As Good As New.
- Setsabile Mkhabela (Eswatini), Founder of Boast-ID.
- Marly Diallo (Guinea), Founder of BRT Energy.
- Nancy Passiany (Kenya), Founder of Veesh Africa.
- Cathy Chepkemboi (Kenya), Founder of Tushop).
- Joanne Osuchukwu (Nigeria), Founder of Hlink.
- Ifedolapo Lawal (Nigeria), Founder of Afrinovate Technology LTD.
- Adaobi Eneh (Nigeria), Founder of RoboRep.
- Ibironke Yekinni (Nigeria), Founder of Testify Limited.
- Wunmi Akinsola (Nigeria), Founder of Fashtracker.
- Olarenwaju Erogbogbo (Nigeria), Founder of Doing Good Work in Africa.
- Kosi Ejieji (Nigeria), Founder of MyChassis.
- Tale Alimi (Nigeria), Founder of Owoafara.
- Eva Barasa (Rwanda), Founder of Valley Hub Ltd.
- Nisingizwe Joselyn (Rwanda), Founder of Smart Ikigega Project.
- Fatou Gning (Senegal), Founder of Amal Crowdfunding.
- Thato Schermer (South Africa), Founder of Zoie Health.
- Siyanda Mpambani (South Africa), Founder of Pink Torque Projects.
- Joshna Nagar (South Africa), Founder of APJ Technologies.
- Gugu Kheswa (South Africa), Founder of Hello Africa Travel.
- Noxolo Fani (South Africa), Founder of Platform Excel.
- Prisca Magori (Tanzania), Founder of Tenten Explore.
