AMBITION IS EVERYWHERE.
ACCESS IS NOT.
VUKARA is the place for founders & backers*Provide a Grant, issue a Loan, or use your Skills to grow businesses through crowdsourcing.
Three Steps to Impact
No complicated processes. Fund directly.
01
Browse
Explore verified women-led businesses from the global majority, ready to scale.
02
Fund
Choose a founder and commit your contribution — in cash or in time.
03
CONNECT
Send your contribution directly to a VUKARA-vetted founder.
About us
VUKARA is rooted in the word VUKA. In Zulu and Xhosa, it means to “wake up” and “arise”. In Swahili, it is the act of “crossing over”.
Together, they define the most critical stage of the founder’s journey: the transition. Founders are often left to cross this 2–5 year threshold without sufficient resources to build. We see this period as an opportunity for founders and backers to redefine the future together.
Vision
Equal chances for
equal humans.
A global community that backs women with funding, skills and network to realise the change we want to see in the world.
Mission
We create pathways
where there are none.
Through access to the funding, skills and network needed in the most critical stage of startup failure.
Anna, Katty, Simra, Britt — The Vukara team
WHO WE ARE
Rebels. Connectors. System Shapers.
As a registered non-profit in the Netherlands with a team of global citizens, we are building the change we want to see in the world. With diverse backgrounds as explorers by heart, we are global citizens, eager to make a difference in the world.
We've Got Your Back
We (Anna and Katty) founded VUKARA based on decades of experience in supporting thousands of entrepreneurs and innovators through our corporate/research careers at global institutions. Although we have different lived experiences (I, Katty, grew up in South Africa as a Taiwanese immigrant & I, Anna, was born and raised in Amsterdam but a seasoned traveler who has lived in 6 countries and worked with numerous local communities), we noticed the same patterns. The current system doesn't work for everyone. It was once designed by and for the dominant group, historically privileged men. And while we all (including men) see that change is needed, it is still ingrained in many systems. We want to change that system - together.
Over the course of our lives we have met so many amazing, inspiring, resilient, bold and beautiful people, who are not structurally supported in their ambitions. This narrative was developed by the construct of systems from the past. Women (and other underrepresented founders) don't need permission; they need access to funding, skills and network.
Women (and other underrepresented) founders are structurally and systemically left behind when it comes to building their ventures. But they don't need permission; they need access to funding, skills and network.
If we want to move the needle, we don't need to fix the women - we need to fix the system.
That’s why we are rewriting the rules with Vukara. Backing the boldest, biggest ideas and entrepreneurs, all over the world. Unlocking opportunities overlooked by others.
The time is now.
Will you build with us?
Frequently Asked Questions
We believe funding should be fair, transparent, and aligned with success. That's why our fee structure is performance-based (to cover our operational costs as a non-profit).
Every campaign starts with a 1% commitment fee from the founder. With each successful campaign, Vukara receives a 7-8% contribution (based on campaign size) to sustain our platform and activities. We only receive support when you succeed!
We currently do not charge any fees for skill-based funding. This means founders can raise skills to grow their business and backers can directly support their favorite entrepreneurs. 100% of skill funding goes toward the intended purpose.
Once you have joined our platform as a backer, you will be able to access an overview of your contributions and your founder’s fundraising progress to ensure transparency throughout the campaign trajectory.
We offer multiple ways to financially back founders:
- Grant Funding: Support a mission you care about without expecting anything back. Your contribution enables founders to achieve their business needs that you can find on each founders' dedicated page.
- Loan Funding: Act as an investor. By choosing the loan option, you help a founder grow their business and receive your capital back (plus a return) in the future.
- Flexible Timing: Choose between a quick one-off payment or a sustained monthly commitment to help founders plan for the long term.
Funding in time allows you to support a project by contributing your professional skills and expertise instead of capital. This is ideal for supporters who want to play a hands-on role in a founder's success.
- Skill-Based Support: Offer your specific talents—such as web design, marketing, legal advice, or project management—to help a founder overcome a hurdle that would otherwise cost them significant capital.
- Flexible Commitment: You can choose to help with a one-off task (like reviewing a contract) or commit to a long-term partnership (like managing social media for a set period).
- Mutual Growth: While the founder gets the help they need, you get the opportunity to build your portfolio, network with innovators, and see the direct impact of your expertise in real-time.
- We're building toward optional paid certifications where validated completed skills certificates support backers in increased employability and provide recognized proof of achievement and skill building in practice. These certifications will be affordable and optional, ensuring access remains open while offering professional credibility for those who want it.
Build VUKARA with us
Be the first to access our platform as a founder looking for funding/skills or a backer looking to contribute, and receive invitations to join our official launch party!