Accelerate-Her
The Centre’s Accelerate-Her is a business entrepreneurship programme offering an exciting opportunity for Guyanese women to access business acceleration workshops and professional mentoring to grow their businesses.
Targeting local women owners, operators, and managers, it builds the leadership and business skills of women entrepreneurs in Guyana to help them grow companies across a wide variety of industries and sectors. The Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Guyana (WCCIG) partners with Accelerate-Her to act as lead mentors, guest facilitators, and expert speakers.
Testimonials
The main purpose for forming the Pomeroon Women’s Agro Processors Association was to help to improve the lives of the women in the community (Pomeroon, Region 2). I found about the Accelerate Programme through the newspaper, and I have learnt a lot from it. It gave me an idea of how I can and need to look at our business . What we need to do to go forward. Things that we must take into consideration if we want to grow.
Thelma Bess
Chairperson
Pomeroon Women’s Agro Processors Association
Accelerate-Her helped me. I looked at Glo the way I should have five years ago. You would think that coming from and marrying into business-oriented families that I would have done all the groundwork by this point or have more “business sense” and know what to do… I didn’t and I don’t. I am learning and this programme was such an amazing learning experience . To look at every segment of my passion and realise that it is a business that has so much room for growth is a remarkable feeling.
Owner
Glo Guyana
I have been a part of many mentor-based programmes before, however nothing has ever been as content packed and practically driven as the Accelerate-Her programme. From learning through the team and speaking with my mentee on all the programme pushes her to do, I can truly see how beneficial it has been to her as it encouraged practical growth for both her and her business.
Patricia Bacchus, Accelerate-her Mentor
Chief Executive Officer, Caribbean Containers Inc.
The programme
Accelerate-Her is designed to enable the growth of small businesses through tailored workshops, access to one-on-one business advisory services, mentoring, pitch development, and fostering a strong and supportive peer-learning environment for women. Predicated on successful mentorship and peer-learning models, Accelerate-Her matches a pool of professional mentors with participants based on their business background and focus.
Accelerate-Her seeks motivated women entrepreneurs who recognise the value of an interactive and collaborative approach to grow their business acumen and entrepreneurial skills.
Women entrepreneurs looking to expand their company, access new markets or increase efficiencies and innovation should consider applying to the programme.
Applications are now closed.
The second cycle of Accelerate-Her will run from May-August 2022
Phase One
May 13-15
- 35 participants
- Weekend bootcamp (3-Day Event)
- Group sessions and take-home activities
- Business model canvas
- Value proposition development
Phase Two
May-August
- 15 select participants (from the bootcamp)
- 13-week programme
- 8-10 hours per week
- 1:1 mentorship, tailored coaching and workshops
- Weekly peer learning (Wed 9-11am)
- SWOT analysis of business
Business Showcase
July – Demo Day
- Pitch with business community, potential buyers, and partners
- Mini expo session
Accelerate-Her mentors
The Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Guyana (WCCIG) partners with Accelerate-Her to act as lead mentors, guest facilitators, and expert speakers. WCCIG is a nonprofit charitable organisation dedicated to creating a collective voice for women and assisting women to achieve success and economic independence through business ownership and self-employment.
Who is Accelerate-Her looking for
YOU
- Embody coachability and commitment
- Either a founder or a member of the management team of an existing small business
- Guyanese citizen living in and based in Guyana
YOUR BUSINESS
- Is more than a year old, and is looking to grow, access new markets or add innovative best practices
- Is a small business with at least 2 employees
- Is legally registered in Guyana
- Is women-led and with women in key leadership positions
Applications are now closed.
There were no fees associated with applying or participating in Accelerate-Her.
Note: Proficiency with video conferencing platforms (i.e. Zoom, Teams, Webex) and virtual collaboration tools (i.e. Google docs, Dropbox) is recommended.