Apple Launches App Development Program for Female Entrepreneurs and App Developers - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Launches App Development Program for Female Entrepreneurs and App Developers

Apple today announced the launch of its new Entrepreneur Camp, which is meant to create new opportunities for app-driven businesses that are owned or led by women.

The Entrepreneur Camp offers an intensive technology lab, specialized support for app developers, and ongoing mentoring.

appleentrepreneurcamp

"Apple is committed to helping more women assume leadership roles across the tech sector and beyond," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "We're proud to help cultivate female leadership in the app development community with the new Apple Entrepreneur Camp, and we're inspired both by the incredible work that's already happening, and what's sure to come."

Apple says that to be eligible for the program, which is now accepting applications, businesses must be female-founded, co-founded, or led and have at least one woman on the development team. A working app or prototype is required, as is a "desire to leverage Apple technologies and benefit their mission.

The inaugural session of the Entrepreneur Camp is set to begin in January 2019. Sessions will be held on a quarterly basis, with 20 app companies accepted for each round. The exception is the pilot round, which will be limited to 10 companies.

After being accepted to the program, companies will be able to send three employees to Cupertino, the home of Apple's two most well known campuses: Infinite Loop and Apple Park.

The two week immersive program is set to include one-on-one code-level assistance with Apple engineers, sessions on design, technology, and App Store marketing, access to an alumni forum for peer-to-peer mentoring, and ongoing support from Apple.

Participating companies will also receive two tickets for the following year's Worldwide Developers Conference as well as one year of free membership in the Apple Developer Program.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Popular Stories

duo aquarium

More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try

Friday November 6, 2026 3:27 pm PST by
When the iPhone Duo launched, we shared a list of some of the fun apps developers created for the new form factor. Two weeks out, developers are continuing to come up with fresh ideas, so we thought we'd share some of our favorites. Games Marbles Unhinged ($2.99) - Marbles Unhinged is a marble maze designed for the Duo. When you fold it, the floor turns into a ramp. If you stand the top...
apple pro tell logo

Apple Launching Five New Products Today

Thursday November 5, 2026 12:59 am PST by
Apple is launching five new products on Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models. The following new products will be available from today: iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip iMac with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...
iOS 28 AI

Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28

Sunday November 8, 2026 7:42 am PST by
Apple has made a change to its development process for iOS 28, macOS 28, and corresponding software updates, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, he said Apple separates development of each year's new operating systems into three major stages. Typically, he said each stage consists of four weeks of coding followed by a four-week "convergence" period where...

Top Rated Comments

826317 Avatar
104 months ago
I'm tired of seeing this gender-only, ethnic-only or whatever-only type of thing. Forced diversity is a joke. If women want to get into IT, they will. The reason there are not many women in the IT sector is because of evident natural sex differences.
Score: 78 Votes (Like | Disagree)
104 months ago
How does this programme discriminate? Men have never been disadvantaged for being a man in the IT industry. Ever. Programmes like this only let those who are, get a head start and even footing.
You've made several incorrect statements in these posts:
[LIST=1]
* Any form of enforced 'diversity' will discriminate against someone. Simply by making a conscious choice to favor one gender or race creates a discrimination against the other gender and all other races. You can't avoid it.
* You state men have 'never been discriminated for being a man in the IT industry' while commenting on a story that intentionally discriminates against men in the IT industry. This isn't just one example of this happening, many companies are using gender-specific hiring practices.
* People have long been permitted, and encouraged, in IT to participate at all levels and in all industries. When I left university almost 15 years ago, there were companies working hard to bring woman and minorities into IT. This is nothing new; it's only new to people who haven't been paying attention for a few decades.


According to your posts, you're ok with discrimination based on gender and/or race. That is, as long as it's discrimination that you agree with. Just admit it so we cam move on and determine if these types of programs actually do any good (which I contend they don't).
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cole Slaw Avatar
104 months ago
Maybe Tim should step down and be replaced by a woman to show how strongly he believes in diversity.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
104 months ago
It must be nice to have nobody tell you you can’t do a job because of who you are. It must be nice to not need programmes that only aim to help and even out decades of oppression.
Positive discrimination is still discrimination.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
104 months ago
How does this programme discriminate? Men have never been disadvantaged for being a man in the IT ndustry. Ever. Programmes like this only let those who are, get a head start and even footing.
Hmmm a program for just women... how does this discriminate? A real brain teaser here...
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
104 months ago
How about accept people based on merit and not because they were born the wrong gender?
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed
Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed
5 hours ago
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
15 hours ago
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
17 hours ago
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
2 days ago
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
2 days ago
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
2 days ago
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
2 days ago
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
2 days ago
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
2 days ago
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
3 days ago
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
3 days ago
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
3 days ago
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
3 days ago
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
3 days ago
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
3 days ago
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
3 days ago
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
3 days ago
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
3 days ago
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
3 days ago
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
3 days ago
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
3 days ago
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
3 days ago
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
3 days ago
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
3 days ago
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
3 days ago
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
3 days ago
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
4 days ago
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
4 days ago
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
4 days ago
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
4 days ago