The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), in partnership with AfriGloCal VC, has announced the launch of Year 3 of the Female Founders & Funders (FFF) programme, a flagship initiative supporting women-led startups.

Delivered under Lagos Innovates, LSETF’s tech ecosystem initiative, the programme is designed to strengthen access to funding, mentorship, and ecosystem support for early-stage, tech-enabled startups with at least one female founder.

Now in its third year, the Female Founders & Funders programme continues to expand opportunities for women entrepreneurs, helping them scale innovative businesses and contribute to the growth of Lagos’ technology ecosystem.

Across its first two editions, the programme has supported over 33 female founders, trained more than 24 aspiring female investors, awarded over ₦9 million in prizes, and engaged more than 30 industry mentors.

Designed to strengthen both sides of the startup funding pipeline, the programme runs a dual-track model: an incubation pathway for female founders and an acceleration pathway for aspiring female investors.

The Year 3 theme, “Fund Her Future,” sharpens the programme’s focus on connecting female-led startups to capital. Building on previous cohorts, this edition emphasizes investment readiness, structured investor engagement, and greater visibility for female founders before a wider investor audience.

Feyisayo Alayande, Executive Secretary of LSETF, said, “For over a decade, LSETF has deployed targeted interventions that strengthen entrepreneurs and the innovation ecosystem. As we mark a decade of impact, expanding Female Founders & Funders reflects our continued commitment to inclusive economic growth and supporting female-led ventures as a strategic driver of the economy of Lagos.”

Programme Director Oyindamola Egbeyemi noted that the programme continues to address structural gaps in access to capital, mentorship, and investor readiness for women building innovation-driven ventures.

Mope Abudu, Managing Partner at AfriGloCal VC, added: “Access to capital remains one of the most significant barriers facing female founders. Female Founders & Funders tackles this challenge from both sides which is equipping women to build scalable ventures while increasing the number of women participating in early-stage investment.”

This year’s 6-week cohort will provide structured masterclasses covering business modelling, product-led growth, startup finance, legal frameworks, ESG strategy, AI integration, and investment readiness. The programme will culminate in a competitive Demo Day where the founders will have the opportunity to pitch to a curated audience for funding.

Women building or investing in tech-enabled and innovation-driven ventures in Lagos State are encouraged to apply via: lagosinnovates.ng/female-founders-funders . Applications close on 4 April 2026.