Unlocking Financial Access for Women Who Build
WinCapital is one of the five foundational pillars of the ADWIN platform, alongside WinSkills, WinConfidence, WinWell, and WinHeritage.
WinCapital is one of the five foundational pillars of the ADWIN platform, alongside WinSkills, WinConfidence, WinWell, and WinHeritage. Its mission: to unlock financial access, investment readiness, and economic independence for African and Afro-descendant women through community-driven empowerment, capital literacy, and a framework designed to evaluate funding programs geared towards women entrepreneurs. In practice, WinCapital provides access to funding — loans, equity, grants — and tailored accompaniment, as a strategic investment in Africa’s most underutilised resource: its women. Across the continent and in the diaspora, women-led ventures are consistently underfunded and underrepresented. WinCapital exists to close that gap — one founder at a time.
Where the Win Generation Was Born
On June 5th and 6th, 2025, Abidjan hosted the official launch of the ADWIN Foundation, under the High Patronage of three First Ladies: Dominique Ouattara, Antoinette Sassou Nguesso, and Débora Katisa Carvalho. The event brought together over 2,000 participants from 30 nationalities and more than 40 speakers from across the globe. At its heart, five women entrepreneurs took the stage to pitch their ventures to a panel of judges, peers, and mentors — a competition that was about far more than funding: it was about visibility, validation, and belonging. Three finalists were awarded financial support: two loans from ADWIN via its partnership with Diambalay, and one grant from the City of Cocody, announced live on stage by Mayor Jean-Marc Yacé. Each award represented something greater than money — a community choosing to invest in its own future.
“What we have built together here is more than a moment. It is a collective energy that will transcend borders and transform what is possible.” — Elisabeth Moreno
The Pitch Competition: Capital Meets Courage
Dr. Sandrine Body-Dua
Valérie Ayena
Amy Doumbia
Dr. Sandrine Body-Dua — Co-Founder, Eburnea Connect & WomUp
Dr. Sandrine Body-Dua didn’t set out to become an entrepreneur — she set out to solve a problem. When a close friend, a talented developer, was forced out of her tech career after a difficult birth and no childcare solution, Sandrine stepped in: found her a match, negotiated a remote arrangement, and watched her rebuild. The lesson was clear — the problem was never the talent. It was the access.
That insight became Eburnea Connect, launched in January 2024, and then WomUp — connecting female talent in Côte d’Ivoire with opportunities that fit their real lives. Today, WomUp has over 150 users, nearly 120 female freelancers, 30 B2B clients, and an average mission revenue of 100,000 FCFA.
Sandrine holds a 2024 doctorate in Development Economics, with research spanning gender-sensitive budgeting and economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa. Her career has moved through banking, tech, and outsourcing — always circling back to economics, research, and gender equity. She measures impact simply: one opportunity, one life changed at a time.
“If you can create one opportunity for one woman, you can build a system for
thousands.”
Valérie Ayena — Founder & CEO, MyDermaLife
Valérie Ayena’s story begins not in a boardroom, but in a doctor’s office. In 2022, a medical treatment triggered a cascade of dermatological problems — and despite being a former Miss Cameroon 2013 with resources and a network, she couldn’t find answers. Dermatologist after dermatologist failed her. The products weren’t designed for her skin. If she was struggling this much, she thought, what about the millions of women across Africa and the diaspora facing the same silence?
That question became MyDermaLife: a healthtech platform combining telemedicine, AI-powered skin assessment, and a network of dermatologists trained in the specificities of Black and mixed-race skin.
The road wasn’t easy. She faced investor scepticism, regulatory complexity, and the persistent assumption that a beauty queen had no place building a medtech company. She pushed through. Today, MyDermaLife has 400 people on its waiting list before launch, 300 consultations in six months, a partnership with L’Oréal Group, and the endorsement of Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Health. Her educational arm has trained nearly 200 women in digital tools and leadership.
Her goal: 400 consultations per month, $20,000 in monthly revenue, and an expansion into the diaspora — because every woman deserves to see herself reflected in her healthcare.
Be part of this movement
Connect and empower 1 million African and African-descendant women globally by 2030 through education, mentorship, and entrepreneurship.
We aim to create opportunities and build a strong network of women driving change worldwide
Join us and be part of this movement!
Partner With ADWIN.
Drive Impact at Scale.
ADWIN is the first Global Impact Network dedicated to accelerating African and African-descendant women across leadership, capital, mentorship and wellbeing. We collaborate with forward-thinking brands and institutions to build measurable, sustainable change.
ADWIN
A global non-profit providing mentorship and entrepreneurship opportunities to African descendant women across the world.
Empowering Women’s lives, Connecting Dreams.
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