AWS South Africa To Boost More Black-Owned Businesses Through Its Equity Program

Amazon Web Services (AWS), a leading cloud computing platform, is expandng its reach in South Africa’s tech landscape through its Equity Equivalent Investment Program (EEIP). 

The 18-24 month enablement and acceleration program supports South African Black-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who want to build their AWS business.

The EEIP, launched in 2020, has already developed 27 SMEs and is looking to expand its reach to 20 more in its 2024 cohort. 

AWS targets female and youth entrepreneurs, addressing the gender gap in tech startups.

“These SMEs are critical drivers of our economic future,” said Chris Erasmus, Country Manager at AWS South Africa, according to VentureBurn.

“As a major player in cloud, we have a duty to work with our customers to empower growth from within, going all the way from funding to training to business development.”

Read: Women-Led African Healthtech Companies Raised A Historic $52M Last Year

Participants join over 120,000 AWS Partner Network businesses and gain access to Amazon’s vast resources, skills, and market opportunities.

The program has given out over 150 jobs for South African youth, revenue growth for participating SMEs, and numerous AWS certifications and accreditations. 

Applications for the 2024 cohort are open until April 12, 2024, prioritizing women-owned startups.