Wetech PitchHer 2026 — Women-Led Nigerian Startups Can Win ₦8.5 Million and 8 Weeks of Investor Training (Deadline: July 10)

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Only 0.9% of the $3.2 billion raised by African startups in recent years went to female-founded teams.

That gap is not because women are building less. It is because the pathways to capital have not been built with them in mind. PitchHer exists to change that — and in 2026, it is offering the most structured, highest-value edition yet.

The Wetech PitchHer Investment Readiness Programme is an 8-week programme for 25 selected women founders in Nigeria, ending with a live pitch competition at the Wetech 2026 Flagship Conference on September 26 in Lagos , where the top 6 finalists compete for a ₦8.5 million prize pool in front of 2,500+ investors, entrepreneurs and ecosystem leaders.


Applications close July 10, 2026.



What is PitchHer?


PitchHer is the flagship startup pitch competition of Wetech — Nigeria's largest women in tech organisation, founded in 2019 and now running the biggest annual women in tech conference in Africa.

The 2026 edition is backed by the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, funded by the UK Government's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. This is not a local initiative with local reach, it has international credibility, international investor networks and a track record that speaks for itself.

Past PitchHer winners have gone on to join global accelerator programmes that invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in their businesses. Others have raised funding directly through Wetech's investor network. This programme changes trajectories.


What the Programme Actually Gives You


This is not just a pitch competition. It is a structured 8-week investment readiness programme, meaning you come in as a founder interested in raising and you leave as a founder ready to raise.


Over 8 weeks, 25 selected founders receive: Training in financial planning and financial modelling

  • Investor fluency, how to speak the language of angels and VCs
  • Pitch development and presentation coaching
  • Mock investment panel at the end of Week 6 , get real feedback before the real thing
  • Access to Wetech's network of investors, ecosystem partners and mentors
  • At the end of the programme, the top 6 finalists pitch live at the Wetech 2026 Flagship Conference: The Power Shift on September 26, 2026 at Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, in front of 2,500 attendees including investors, corporate partners and tech leaders.


The top 6 compete for the ₦8.5 million prize pool.


-Who Can Apply


The programme is specifically for:


  •  Women-founded or women co-founded startups
  •  Based in Nigeria
  •  At pre-seed stage ; product or service already in market or about to launch
  •  With early customer traction or a validated business problem
  •  Founders who intend to raise investment within the next 12 to 18 months


This is not for founders still at idea stage. You need something built — a product, a service, early customers, evidence that the idea works. If you are at that point and you are a woman founder with ambitions to raise capital, this was designed for you.




How to Apply


Apply directly through the official form 👉 https://airtable.com/appbddv41KyDupSCI/pagR5zmiZWPOkpLvW/form


Deadline: July 10, 2026


Only 25 founders will be selected. Spaces are extremely limited.




Insider Tips for a Strong Application


Show traction honestly ; early traction matters more than the size of your vision. How many customers do you have? What is your monthly revenue even if small? What has someone paid you for? Real numbers, however modest, are more compelling than projections with no foundation

Be specific about why you want to raise; PitchHer is for founders who genuinely intend to raise investment in the next 12 to 18 months. If your goal is to get a grant and stay bootstrapped, this is not the right programme. If you want to scale with capital, make that ambition clear in your application

Your business problem must be crystal clear before explaining your solution, make the reviewer feel the weight of the problem you are solving. Who suffers from it? How many of them? What does it cost them? Strong problem framing is what separates compelling pitches from forgettable ones

Apply immediately  25 spots for all of Nigeria. Every day you wait is a spot that goes to someone else




Common Mistakes to Avoid


Applying at idea stage  ; you need a product or service already in market

Being vague about your business model ; how exactly do you make money? Who pays you and why?

Not showing why you need investment specifically; what would capital unlock that bootstrapping cannot?

Underselling your traction;  whatever you have earned or proven, put the numbers in. Founders often undersell themselves thinking small numbers won't impress. Small real numbers impress more than big imagined ones




Also Read:

Why Nigerian Grant Applications Get Rejected ; How to Win Grants in Nigeria in 2026 👉 https://naijafundingopportunities.blogspot.com/2026/06/why-nigerian-grant-applications-get.html

Every Nigerian Entrepreneur Needs to Read This Before Building Their Next Business 👉 https://naijafundingopportunities.blogspot.com/2026/06/before-you-start-another-business-in.html





Frequently Asked Questions


Is PitchHer only for tech businesses?

No. PitchHer is open to founders building scalable, impact-driven solutions 


Do I need a co-founder to apply?

No. Solo women founders can apply. The requirement is that the startup is founded or co-founded by a woman.


Is there a cost to apply or participate?

No. The programme is free for selected participants.


What happens if I am not selected for the top 6 finalist pitch?

All 25 selected participants complete the full 8-week investment readiness programme — the training, coaching and investor network access happens for everyone, not just the finalists. The live pitch is the finale, not the only value.


 Can I apply if I am outside Lagos?

Yes. The programme is open to Nigeria-based startups


When is the conference?

The Wetech 2026 Flagship Conference: The Power Shift takes place on September 26, 2026 at Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. [Global Woman Leader](https://www.globalwomanleader.com/news/wetech-uk-hub-launch-accelerator-program-for-nigerian-women-founders-nwid-6399.html)




📌 Share this with every woman founder you know who is building something in Nigeria. Deadline is July 10 and only 25 spots are available.



Follow Naija Funding Opportunities on WhatsApp for daily funding alerts 👇

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