SHE WORKS HERE 2019 COHORT AT CONCORDIA PARTNERSHIP ACCELERATOR, LAGOS
SHE WORKS HERE’s 2019 Graduates were part of SME.NG’s Partnership Cocktail event & Partnership Accelerator for Concordia, one of its partners on the 4th & 5th March 2020. The Director of Partnership Development for Concordia – Ms. Hanne Dalmut, SME.NG Board Members, She Works Here Dean & Lead Faculty and other stakeholders in the impact investing space.

She Works Here’s 2019 Ebi Fund Graduates and Funding Space Beneficiaries took turns to speak about their experiences with SME.NG & She Works Here and how these initiatives have benefitted them and positively impacted their businesses and their entrepreneurship journey. A general consensus during these programs was that a large influx of capital is required for women entrepreneurs to be able to bridge the gap in access to finance and that investing in women yields greater economic benefits in the long run.

The Concordia Partnership accelerator hosted in collaboration with SME.NG had its theme focused on Youth Agency, Entrepreneurship, and Capacity Building in Africa. There were several table discussions with table leads responsible for framing the discussions and orienting the discussion in a constructive, outcomes-driven manner. These discussions were centered on:
• Entrepreneurial Capacity Building
• Driving Investor Decision Making
• Regulation & Political Incentives
• The Role of Digital innovation in facilitating investments
Participants were able to identify collaborative initiatives that addresses common challenges faced and they deliberated upon how Concordia’s global community, convening platform, and partnering expertise can contribute to initiatives’ successes.