Amazon and WomHub partner to train 35 South African manufacturers in e-commerce and sustainability

The nine-month incubator integrates circular economy principles with digital marketplace tools to scale women-led businesses for global operations.

Robert Koen, MD of Amazon Sub-Saharan Africa.

Amazon South Africa and the accelerator WomHub have announced the 35 female entrepreneurs selected for the inaugural edition of the Amazon Sustainable Sellers Incubator. Amazon operates a global digital marketplace and logistics network, while WomHub is an organization that has supported women in science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing across 33 countries since 2006. The two entities established this joint initiative to train and structure women-led manufacturing companies.

Starting next month, the nine-month program will train the selected cohort in circular economy practices, sustainable product design, and ethical sourcing. This environmental curriculum is combined with business operations training, covering financial management, marketing, and quality control. The initiative also provides participants with access to funding mechanisms, such as grants and low-interest loans, as well as shared workspaces and innovation hubs in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and East London.

A central part of the incubator is the technological integration of these businesses into the e-commerce infrastructure. Participants will receive instructions on how to use Seller Central, optimize product listings, manage digital catalogs, and operate through the Fulfillment by Amazon network to reach international markets.

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."

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.”