Huawei South Africa, in partnership with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies and Henley Business School Africa, is inviting women entrepreneurs to apply for the 2026 cohort of its Women in Tech digital skills programme. Now in its sixth year, the three-day course will run from 26 to 28 August at Huawei’s Johannesburg campus in Woodmead under the theme “HERabytes: Small Business”.
Practical skills for small businesses
The programme is designed to move participants from experimentation with emerging technologies to confident everyday use in their businesses. Course offerings include an introduction to 5G‑A, cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI), and organisers say the emphasis is on practical tools and workflows that attendees can implement immediately.
"AI can feel intimidating, especially if you’re running a small business. The programme is about making that technology practical. We want participants to leave with tools they can start using immediately to grow their businesses," Vanashree Govender, senior PR manager at Huawei South Africa, said.
Part of the training will include a session on useful consumer tech and gadgets for small business success, presented in partnership with the technology publication Stuff. The final day of the programme, hosted at Henley Business School Africa, will concentrate on personal leadership, business resilience and strategic adaptability in a data-driven era. Participants who complete all three days will receive attendance certificates.
Who should apply and what to expect
The initiative targets tech-savvy women entrepreneurs who want to scale or modernise small businesses using digital tools. The curriculum mixes technical introductions with business strategy and leadership, reflecting an aim to make technology accessible and operational for small enterprises rather than purely theoretical.
- Core topics: 5G‑A, cloud computing, artificial intelligence.
- Practical focus: tools, automated workflows and consumer gadgets that support small-business growth.
- Leadership training: sessions on resilience and strategic adaptability at Henley Business School Africa.
- Certification: attendance certificates provided to those who complete all three days.
The organisers frame progress in the AI economy as cumulative — built "one byte, one skill and one decision at a time" — and position the course as a way for participants to add incremental capabilities that strengthen and scale their ventures.
Programme snapshot
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dates | 26–28 August |
| Location | Huawei campus, Woodmead, Johannesburg; final day at Henley Business School Africa |
| Partners | Department of Communications and Digital Technologies; Henley Business School Africa; Stuff (session partner) |
| Theme | HERabytes: Small Business |
Women entrepreneurs interested in joining the 2026 cohort are encouraged to apply online by completing the programme’s application form. Huawei SA has emphasised the immediate applicability of the curriculum, framing the workshop as a short, concentrated intervention to help small-business owners embed digital tools into day‑to‑day operations.
For South African entrepreneurs operating on tight data and budget constraints, programmes that focus on practical, low-friction tech adoption can offer a clearer path to measurable improvements — whether that’s automating customer outreach, using cloud services to reduce IT overheads, or selective implementation of AI to enhance decision-making. The Women in Tech initiative aligns with that pragmatic approach by combining technical overviews with leadership and resilience planning.
Applications and further details are available through Huawei South Africa’s programme portal; completion of the form is required to be considered for the 2026 intake.
