Vodafone Institute Globally Launches the Next Round of F-LANE: The Accelerator for Ventures Focusing on Female Empowerment

• A new round of F-LANE - the first accelerator in Europe to focus on tech-startups by or for women
• Investments of up to EUR 4.5m for startups in the first round of F-LANE
• Applications can be sent to http://www.f-lane.com/online-application from now until 20 December

F-LANE was initiated by the Vodafone Institute as the first accelerator in Europe focusing on tech-startups by or for women. The majority of the startups participating in the programme received investments afterwards - some as high as EUR 4.5 million. It has met with such an impressive international response that the third round has now been launched. The programme mission is to foster the participation of women in technological development and to empower women of all ages around the world through technology. F-LANE is collaborating with the Impact Hub Berlin and the Social Entrepreneurship Akademie to globally source innovative startups that focus on women, provide an enterprising solution to a social problem and have the potential to make a wide impact. The online application process for the 7-week accelerator programme starting 16 March 2018 in Berlin is now open. Applications can be submitted to http://www.f-lane.com/online-applicationthe closing date on 20 December 2017.

Dupsy Abiola, startup founder and CEO of Intern Avenue, one of the world's most successful platforms for the placement of interns in companies, is a member of F-LANE's international Advisory Board. Thomson Reuters named her one of the UK's top businesswomen back in 2013. As a member of the F-LANE jury, Dupsy Abiola and her Advisory Board colleagues will be selecting the young entrepreneurs for the F-LANE accelerator and supporting them throughout the programme with her expertise. Dupsy Abiola: "F-LANE's been phenomenal, with inspiring ideas, fantastic entrepreneurs, international media coverage and some major investments in the startups after the first accelerator programmes. Historically, the levels of investment and support for female technology leaders has been alarmingly low. We need programmes like F-LANE to put this issue on the agenda."

About F-LANE

Some 180 startups from 50 countries applied to join the accelerator in the last round of F-LANE. F-LANE sources innovative technological startups around the world that focus on women and provide an entrepreneurial solution to a social problem. Their business concept should ideally have the potential to make a wide impact and empower girls and women through technology.

Four or five entrepreneurs will be selected to take part in the intensive seven-week accelerator programme. At least two programmes are implemented every year and they focus on four key support areas:

Funding

- EUR 12,000 seed capital as startup support

- Vodafone as a potential big investor

- Networking with other investors, venture capital providers and business angels

Advice & Coaching

- Experienced mentors for every startup

- Individual roadmaps for every startup

- Advice from external experts (technology consultants, Vodafone experts etc.)

Training

- Individual training sessions geared to each of the startups' needs

Networks

- Link-up with the global 'Vodafone family'

- Attendance of diverse conferences

- Access to the global Impact Hub Network (100 impact hubs around the world) and the Social Entrepreneurship Akademie network)

Workplace: Impact Hub Berlin, Friedrichstraße 246, 10969 Berlin

Accommodation: Karl-Marx-Straße 17, 12043 Berlin

Duration: Seven weeks, commencing on 16 March 2018

All-day childcare service available. The application process is now open. Contact: Alice Steinbrück, Director Strategy & Programmes, Vodafone Institute