Womenpreneur's Pitch-a-ton Season 5 released by Access Bank

Access Bank Plc, a major retailer, has introduced the fifth season of the Womenpreneur Pitch-a-ton campaign. The 2023 Womenpreneur Pitch-a-ton project has formally began on June 26, and will run through August 11, 2023.

In line with Access Bank's mission to be the bank of choice for women in the markets and communities it serves, the W Initiative aims to inspire, connect, and empower women. Through the Womenpreneur Pitch-a-Ton initiative, the Bank's mission is to provide female entrepreneurs with the financial and entrepreneurial skills they need to succeed.

The plan is intended to give female-owned businesses in Africa the chance to get access to funding, top-notch business training, and mentorship opportunities. Abiodun Olubitan, group head of the W Initiative, remarked to reporters, "This project has been created to create an atmosphere that is conducive to female entrepreneurs growing their firms. The 'W' Initiative, which supports the women's economy, especially in the areas of finance, capacity building, and establishing networking opportunities for women, is driven in large part by Access Bank's history as an advocate for women's economic empowerment in Africa.

"In line with our value proposition to be the No. 1 Bank of Choice for women in Nigeria, we launched the first Womenpreneur pitch-a-ton initiative in 2019. Over the last four years, we have received over 150,000 applications, awarded the Mini-MBA training to 300 women, and given out over N45 million in grants. By expanding the number of women entrepreneurs who will qualify as finalists to 120 this year, we are able to make the initiative larger and better.”

It will empower women entrepreneurs by providing financial grants, a unique recognised capacity building programme, and business mentoring. Female entrepreneurs who are interested must fill out an online application at www.womenpreneur.ng if they fulfil the requirements of having an established business for at least one year with at least 50% female ownership and being between the ages of 18 and 55.

The five hundred (500) contenders will be asked to submit a sixty-second video pitch in order to be considered as one of the final top 120 candidates. All online submissions will be vetted and screened by independent business professionals. They will gain from a unique, accredited Mini-MBA and award rewards.

"The programme is designed for a 3-month period comprising 8 weeks of mini-MBA training in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and pitching sessions to a Pan-African Jury panel where the top finalists will pitch their businesses, infusing learnings from the mini-MBA and will stand an opportunity to win financial grants and other consolation prizes," Abiodun said.

Access Bank is dedicated to assisting its clients in achieving their financial objectives and places a high priority on innovation, technology, and customer service. It strives to provide lucrative, long-lasting, and socially meaningful economic growth. Access Bank, which has more than 60 million members and is still the largest bank in Africa in terms of customer base, has undertaken considerable investments aimed at accelerating the expansion of the small- and medium-sized business sector.

The Bank is a strong supporter of women in business and provides cutting-edge services including the W Power Loan, a reduced loan with an annual interest rate of 15% for female entrepreneurs, along with other Business Support Services. The Womenpreneur Pitch-a-ton Programme is the first programme of its type in the sector to help women entrepreneurs.