The African tech startup sector has seen modest gains in gender diversity over the past two years, though funding disparities remain a major hurdle. Progress toward parity is slow, with significant gaps still evident.
Representation inches upward, funding lags
A recent study titled “Diversity Dividend: Exploring Gender Equality in the African Tech Ecosystem” revealed that 19.2% of over 3,000 startups surveyed included at least one female co-founder. The figure marks an increase from 17.3% in 2024 and 14.6% in 2023. Startups with a female CEO also rose to 12.1% in 2026, compared to 11.1% in 2024 and 9.6% in 2023.
Funding trends paint a less encouraging picture. In 2024, only 18.5% of funded startups had a woman on their founding team, a decline from 26.3% the previous year. Those led by a female CEO fell to 12.5%, down from 15.3% in 2023. The drop continued in 2025, when just 16.9% of funded startups were co-founded by a woman, and 9.6% had a female CEO.
Early 2026 data shows 18.3% of the 60 startups funded in the first five months included a female co-founder, which is up share-wise on 2025, while 8.3% had a female CEO, down share-wise on last year.
Gabriella Mulligan, co-founder of Disrupt Africa, described the findings as small but meaningful steps forward. “Much more needs to be done to ensure the sector moves more quickly toward the gender parity it needs to scale and succeed,” she said. “The funding figures are certainly a concern. Diversity won’t increase if diverse startups can’t access the capital required for growth.”
Investors call for systemic change
The study, produced with Madica, combines data with interviews from founders and investors. It also features case studies illustrating individual experiences within the ecosystem.
Akinyi W. Ooko Ombaka, head of portfolio success at Madica, stressed that representation alone isn’t sufficient. “Achieving gender equality requires more than just ‘choosing diversity,’” she said. “It demands an environment where equitable opportunities can thrive. For Madica, that means going beyond investment selection. We focus on mentorship, advisory support, exposure to advanced ecosystems, and tactical assistance. Most importantly, we seek direct input from female founders and executives to guide our efforts.”
Regional differences also play a role. In some countries, cultural and institutional barriers make it harder for women to enter the startup space. In others, women-led ventures tend to focus on sectors like health tech or edtech, which historically attract less venture capital than fintech or logistics. These variations suggest a uniform approach to improving diversity won’t be effective.
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The full report is available for free download here.