FoundHer Program launched to empower Fijian women in tech and investment

Women in the tech industry now have an opportunity to get direct access to funding, training, visibility, and long-term influence in both the startup and investment space as the FoundHer Program has been launched.

Women in Tech Fiji says they have launched the FoundHer Program, Fiji’s first women-focused startup incubator and investor training initiative, designed to strengthen women’s participation and leadership in the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.



They say funded by Pacific Trade Invest New Zealand, the FoundHer Program will empower women founders to transform their innovative ideas into scalable ventures, while building a new generation of women and youth investors who understand gender-lens investing and inclusive finance.



While speaking at the launch at the Ministry of Trade in Suva, Investment Facilitation Manager for Pacific Trade Invest New Zealand Rohan Parekh says the FoundHer Program builds on key findings from their gender-lens investing research conducted last year.



He says this program aligns closely with the work they do at Pacific Trade Invest New Zealand — facilitating exports from the Pacific Islands and investment into the region.

Parekh says the project is a direct response to the recommendations from their gender-lens investing report, which highlighted the need to create more pathways for women-led enterprises to access capital and scale.



The program will support 10 women-led tech startups and train 15–20 women and youth in venture capital and gender-lens investing.



Women in Tech Fiji says the week-long program next month will conclude with a Shark Tank-style Demo Day, where founders, future VCs, and ecosystem partners will come together with financiers and policymakers to turn ideas into investment-ready opportunities.



Program Lead for Startups at Women in Tech Fiji Sujata Lodhia says FoundHer is not just about starting businesses — it’s about creating a network of women who can both build and fund innovation.

She says by connecting founders with future investors and support programs, they are ensuring that women are part of every layer of the tech and entrepreneurial ecosystem.



Women in Tech Fiji Country Director, Sagufta Janif says they are part of a global movement to empower 5 million women and girls in STEAM by 2030.

She says programs like FoundHer are how they inch closer to that goal, by creating tangible pathways for women to innovate, lead, and invest.

Janif says it’s not just about technology; it’s about equality, confidence, and access and when women have the opportunity to create and fund solutions, everyone benefits.



She says they are deeply grateful to Pacific Trade Invest New Zealand for believing in this vision and to the Ministry for their continued support as they build a future where women and men have equal opportunities to thrive in tech and entrepreneurship.



Applications for the FoundHer Program are now open and interested applicants can find the application link on the Women in Tech Fiji LinkedIn and Facebook pages.