Achievements from HerVenture in South Africa

Our award-winning HerVenture business skills learning app has been available to women entrepreneurs in South Africa since 2021. Partnering with DHL Express and expert in-country delivery partners AWIEF (African Women Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum), our app achieved incredible things in its first year.

HerVenture offers a range of learning tracks on topics, including launching a business, accessing finance, expanding market access and e-commerce. These are designed to support women to build the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to successfully start, grow and strengthen their businesses.

In the app’s first year in South Africa, HerVenture reached nearly 2,000 women entrepreneurs, contributing to women’s economic empowerment and spelling great impact for the country’s entrepreneurial landscape.

1,728 registered users in South Africa

I call it my survival kit! Some of us don’t really have access to a support system - I found mine in HerVenture. Hannah Salimu, founder of Oasis of Beauty hair salon, and HerVenture user

89% overall satisfaction rating for the app

When women entrepreneurs succeed, it creates a ripple effect, boosting economies and providing necessary goods and services to local communities. Still, women entrepreneurs around the world are being held back by social and legal discrimination that impact their business’ success.

In South Africa, where women-owned SMEs have up to 33% lower turnover than men’s, the HerVenture app is providing personalised learning content to ensure women entrepreneurs have the skills they need to thrive.

A recent survey of HerVenture users in South Africa found that…

90% reported increased confidence in their ability to succeed

100% reported an increase in their business knowledge

68% reported an improvement in their business performance

85% have shared the knowledge they gained

One woman entrepreneur shared her experience with the app, saying:

Ever since I downloaded HerVenture, I have learned a lot about how to grow my business. There’s been a big improvement, a big growth from where we were to where we are now.

We’re grateful to our amazing partners for making this possible. This year, we’re continuing our work in South Africa with new expert in-country partners the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) Entrepreneurship Development Academy and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda). We look forward to many more achievements and supporting thousands more women entrepreneurs, and by extension their families and communities.