The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) has today announced the call for nominations for the 2023 AWIEF Awards. The prestigious awards recognize, honor, and celebrate the achievements of female entrepreneurs and business owners in Africa, across various industry sectors, for their contribution to Africa’s inclusive economic growth and development.
Nominees for the AWIEF Awards are both emerging and established female entrepreneurs and founders who have demonstrated outstanding vision, leadership, inspiration, and success in their businesses in line with AWIEF’s core areas of innovation, technology, entrepreneurship, leadership, and socio-economic development.
Nominations for the 2023 AWIEF Awards are open and will close on July 17. Candidates can either self-nominate themselves or be nominated by anybody else (NOMINATION LINK). Entries will be judged by an esteemed panel of business leaders and professionals.
The AWIEF Awards cover eight categories, each with specific criteria for qualification:
The Young Entrepreneur Award
Young entrepreneurs and start-ups between 18 and 35 years old who have demonstrated exceptional entrepreneurial spirit and skills to build and grow successful and sustainable enterprises. Young entrepreneurs must exemplify leadership in their field and the importance of entrepreneurship to effect positive change. They are inspirational and must have achieved tangible and material success (revenue and number of employees can indicate this).
Tech Entrepreneur Award
Entrepreneurs who have created innovative, ground-breaking, and game-changing technology ventures or startups.
Agri Entrepreneur Award
Entrepreneurs who have achieved significant business success and recognition in the agriculture and agribusiness value chain with evidence of traction and impact on food security and/or the environment.
Creative Industry Award
This award recognizes the disruptive, creative, and entrepreneurial success of a woman in the film, music, food, beauty, arts, fashion, media, advertising, design, and crafts industry.
Empowerment Award
Women who have greatly contributed and invested in inspiring, mentoring, and empowering women and girls, thereby significantly impacting the communities in which they operate, and society at large.
Energy Entrepreneur Award
Entrepreneurs in the oil & gas and/or green energy & renewable energy sectors who are operating successful businesses with an impact on energy access and/or availability in their communities and countries.
Social Entrepreneur Award
Entrepreneurs who have developed an innovative, systemic, and sustainable solution that directly tackles a social issue, thereby having a transformative social impact on their communities and countries.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Established women entrepreneurs and role models who have demonstrated prolonged and consistent achievements in business, and exceptional and outstanding business leadership. The award also recognizes significant contributions made to job creation and the economy.
The winners will be announced at a gala dinner in Kigali, Rwanda, during the AWIEF 2023 Conference which will take place on 9 and 10 Nov. 2023.
Rwanda’s Ministry of ICT and Innovation and the Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB) in April this year confirmed their partnership with the Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) to host its 9th annual conference, exhibition, and awards.
AWIEF Founder and CEO, Irene Ochem expressed her gratitude toward the Rwandan Government noting that they are honored and delighted to partner with the Rwandan ICT Ministry and RCB in what they believe will be their most dynamic and engaging conference yet.
“We are excited to be working with RCB to bring our international speakers, guests, and delegates to Kigali, one of the most progressive cities in Africa right now,” she said. “We are looking forward to advancing our efforts in connecting and inspiring the African entrepreneurship ecosystem in this significant hub for business, technology, and innovation”
Paula Ingabire, the Rwandan Minister of ICT and Innovation said Rwanda is a country that understands the critical role of women in national development and transformation, thus delighted to host the AWIEF Conference and Awards.
“We will be particularly interested in discussing practical solutions to accelerate Africa’s inclusive digital transformation and contribute to closing the gender gap,” Ingabire said in a statement.
