South Africa
Awards
Innovation
Technology Solutions
Women-founders
Entrepreneurship

The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) calls for nominations for the 2025 edition of the prestigious AWIEF Awards.

The AWIEF Awards recognize, honour, and celebrate outstanding women entrepreneurs and founders for their achievements and contributions to the continent’s inclusive economic growth and sustainable development. Nominees should be established women entrepreneurs who have demonstrated exceptional vision, leadership, innovation, and business success within their industries and sectors.

The winners of the 2025 AWIEF Awards will be announced and celebrated at a high-profile awards ceremony and gala dinner on 31 October 2025, as the grand finale of the AWIEF2025 Conference, taking place from 30 to 31 October 2025 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Cape Town, South Africa.

Entries are now open in the following eight (8) categories:

  • Young Entrepreneur Award
  • Tech Entrepreneur Award
  • Agri Entrepreneur Award
  • Creative Industry Award
  • Empowerment Award
  • Energy Entrepreneur Award
  • Social Entrepreneur Award
  • Lifetime Achievement Award

These awards spotlight women in Africa who are breaking barriers, building successful businesses, and transforming communities through innovative, sustainable, and impactful initiatives and solutions.

Eligibility

Nominees must be Africa-based women entrepreneurs, founders, or business leaders who have made significant contributions to economic growth and development.

How to Nominate

You can either self-nominate or nominate someone else you know.

  1. Click here to visit the nomination page
  2. Click on “Submit an entry”
  3. Register and create a profile
  4. Complete the nomination form (you may save and return to it at any time)
  5. Submit the final entry before the deadline

All entries will be reviewed and judged by an international panel of esteemed judges.

Closing date
Industry
Agriculture, forestry and fishing
​Mining and quarrying
​Manufacturing
​Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities
​Construction
​Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles
​Transportation and storage
Accommodation and food service activities
​Information and communication
Financial and insurance activities
​Real estate activities
Professional, scientific and technical activities
Administrative and support service activities
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security
​Education
Human health and social work activities
​Arts, entertainment and recreation
​Other service activities
Activities of households as employers; undifferentiated goods-and-service-producing activities of households for own use
​Activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies, not economically active people, unemployed people etc.
Website link
https://www.awieforum.org/