The Programme
Structured. Intensive. Built for growth.
16 weeks of training, mentorship, and investor access — delivered in a cohort of 20–25 exceptional women-led Ethiopian SMEs.
Programme Structure
Two cohorts a year. One transformative experience.
ASAP runs twice per year — March and October intakes — with each cohort limited to 20–25 businesses to keep the experience high-touch and genuinely impactful.
2
cohorts/year
March and October intakes
16
weeks
4 months per acceleration cycle
20–25
SMEs per cohort
Intimate, high-touch cohort size
320–400
mentorship hrs
1-on-1 sessions per cohort
Programme Phases
Four phases. Twenty weeks. Complete clarity.
From the moment you hit submit to your first post-graduation investor meeting — here is exactly what to expect.
Application
2 weeksSubmit your application online and upload supporting documents. Our case team reviews every submission for eligibility before moving shortlisted founders to the Selection phase.
Online application
5-step form covering your business, founder profile, traction, documents, and narrative answers.
Document upload
Pitch deck (PDF), legal registration certificate, and optional financial statements.
Eligibility screening
Case team reviews all applications against the 9 eligibility criteria within 2 weeks.
Shortlist announcement
Shortlisted founders are notified by email and invited to the Selection phase.
Curriculum
6 pillars. 14 modules. Click any module to explore.
Every module is designed for growth-stage founders — not generic SME theory. Real tools, real frameworks, applied to your actual business.
Mentorship
One dedicated mentor. Every week. For 16 weeks.
Every ASAP founder is matched with a dedicated mentor from day one. These are not check-in calls — they are working sessions where you tackle your real challenges with someone who has navigated them before.
Across a cohort, ASAP delivers 320 to 400 total mentorship hours— a scale of investment that would cost hundreds of thousands of birr in consulting fees. It's one of the most concrete advantages of being in the programme.
How matching works
The ASAP case team matches each founder with a mentor based on sector, business stage, and the specific growth challenges identified during selection. You meet your mentor in Week 1.
What you work on
Sessions are founder-led — you set the agenda. Mentors provide accountability, strategic sounding-board support, introductions, and frank feedback on your progress.
Who the mentors are
Mentors are drawn from the Ethiopian business community, regional development finance professionals, ACE Advisors' extended expert network, and ASAP's growing alumni base.
After the programme
Many mentor relationships continue informally beyond Demo Day. ASAP facilitates an ongoing alumni mentorship programme so the connection compounds over time.
Networking
Four events that open real doors.
Every cohort includes four structured events — from the opening day gathering to Demo Day with live investors.
Sensitisation Workshop
Kick-off gathering bringing the full cohort together with ASAP mentors, case team, and ACE Advisors leadership. Sets expectations, builds community, and launches the programme.
Monthly Deep-Dive Workshops
Three full-day workshops at ACE CoLab where cohort members present business progress, receive peer feedback, and engage with invited sector experts and guest speakers.
Quarterly Networking Panel
EmpowerHER-affiliated panel event connecting ASAP members with senior women executives, investors, and government stakeholders from across Ethiopia and the region.
Demo Day
The cohort culmination. Each founder delivers a 10-minute pitch to an audience of investors, development partners, financial institutions, and media. The launchpad to your next round.
Investor Readiness
Demo Day is not the end. It's the beginning.
The entire 16-week programme is structured to culminate in one moment: a polished, confident pitch in front of the investors, DFIs, and development partners who are actively looking to back Ethiopian SMEs.
But ASAP doesn't stop there. Post-graduation warm introductions, alumni investor days, and our ongoing relationships with Enat Bank, Awash, Dashen, Cooperative Bank of Oromia, and development finance partners mean the doors stay open.
Investor deck coaching
Dedicated sessions to build, stress-test, and refine your 10–12 slide investor deck against real investor expectations.
Financial model review
Case team analysts review your 3-year financial model for accuracy, assumptions, and investor credibility before Demo Day.
Mock pitch sessions
Practice pitches with ASAP reviewers and invited angel investors — so that Demo Day is not your first time in the room.
Demo Day & warm intros
Live audience of 50+ investors and partners. Followed by curated 1-on-1 introductions arranged by the ASAP team.
This is your programme.
Check eligibility and apply for cohort 1.