Debora Jenero

Ethiopian entrepreneur empowering African women through leadership programs

Debora Jenero is a visionary entrepreneur from Ethiopia who co-founded She Leads Africa, a pan-African network supporting over 20,000 women entrepreneurs across 35 countries. Launched in 2015, this initiative provides training, mentorship, and funding opportunities to female leaders in tech, agriculture, and renewable energy sectors. Through her work, Jenero has helped secure over $10 million in funding for women-led businesses and created Africa's largest digital platform connecting female entrepreneurs with global investors. Her TED Talk "How to Build a Movement of Women Leaders" has been viewed over 2 million times. In 2019, she pioneered Africa's first female entrepreneurship bootcamp in Nairobi, training 500+ participants annually. Jenero's impact extends to policy advocacy, having advised the African Union on gender-inclusive economic policies. Her leadership in creating the Africa Women Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) has directly contributed to a 30% increase in women-owned businesses in East Africa since 2018.