Amazon South Africa and female accelerator WomHub have selected 35 women entrepreneurs from across South Africa to participate in the first edition of the Amazon Sustainable Sellers Incubator.
The accelerator is a newly-introduced sustainability-focused incubator established by the two organisations, aimed at strengthening women-led manufacturing businesses.
With participants already selected, applications for this cohort are no longer open.
The selected cohort forms part of a nine-month programme, which starts next month and is designed to help participants build environmentally-responsible, globally-competitive enterprises.
The 35 women-led businesses will undergo structured training that integrates circular economy principles, sustainable product design, ethical sourcing and environmentally-conscious operations alongside core business capabilities.
The programme will also focus on digital skills development, market access and sustainable growth.
The programme reflects a growing emphasis on embedding environmental responsibility into business strategy, particularly for SMEs seeking to scale into global markets, say the organisations.
Robert Koen, Amazon MD Sub-Saharan Africa, says: "By empowering South African women entrepreneurs to build businesses rooted in environmental responsibility from day one, we're not just supporting individual success − we're contributing to a more sustainable future that benefits communities and the planet.
“This incubator demonstrates our commitment to enabling the next generation of South African sellers to grow and compete globally.”
In addition to sustainability training, the selected participants will receive business development support spanning financial management, marketing, quality control and e-commerce enablement.
The programme also includes one-on-one mentorship and access to funding mechanisms, such as grant funding and low-interest loans to support long-term, sustainable growth.
[PICTURE] Amazon WomHub Sustainable Sellers
[CAPTION] Some of the selected participants of the Amazon Sustainable Sellers Incubator. (Image supplied)
A key component of the incubator is onboarding the cohort onto Amazon’s digital marketplace. Participants will receive guidance on navigating seller central, optimising product listings, managing catalogues and leveraging fulfilment by Amazon services, while maintaining their commitment to sustainable production practices.
The programme further provides access to co-working spaces and innovation hubs in Johannesburg, Cape Town and East London, enabling collaboration and operational scaling among the selected businesses.
WomHub, which has supported women entrepreneurs in the science, technology, engineering and manufacturing sectors since 2006, brings experience from delivering incubators and accelerators across 33 countries.
Naadiya Moosajee, chief innovation officer and co-founder of WomHub, comments: “This announcement [of the inaugural edition] represents our vision for the future of South African entrepreneurship.
“We're proving that sustainability and profitability go hand-in-hand. By equipping women entrepreneurs with both business acumen and environmental consciousness, we're building a new generation of South African brands that compete globally while protecting our planet for future generations.”
The initiative underscores a broader shift in the digital economy, where sustainability is increasingly positioned as a core driver of business success, particularly for emerging market enterprises looking to expand internationally, says Amazon.
The opening of applications for the next cohort will be announced in due time, according to Amazon.
To learn more about the Amazon Sustainable Seller Incubator, visit the website.
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