Standard Chartered Backs Women with Tech Training

 

Standard Chartered Bank is deepening its commitment to gender inclusion and economic empowerment through a wide-reaching initiative that supports women-led businesses with technology training, startup incubation, and funding opportunities. Through its flagship Women in Tech (WiT) program, the bank is helping women across Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia acquire critical digital skills, scale their businesses, and contribute to more inclusive innovation ecosystems.

The Women in Tech initiative is part of Standard Chartered’s Futuremakers program, a global strategy focused on empowering young people, particularly women and those from low-income communities, to learn, earn, and grow. Since its launch, the Women in Tech program has reached thousands of female entrepreneurs, offering them access to mentorship, expert guidance, seed funding, and technical support needed to thrive in the digital economy.

In Nigeria, the sixth cohort of the Women in Tech Incubator (WITI 6) is currently underway, with a renewed focus on identifying and nurturing women-led startups with scalable technology-driven solutions. Delivered in partnership with the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) and Village Capital, the program provides selected participants with structured business training, investor readiness support, and access to a growing network of mentors and funders. Each startup receives tailored guidance in product development, market entry, and sustainable scaling strategies. The most promising ventures also stand a chance to receive non-equity grants to fuel their growth.

In Ghana, the 2025 edition of the WiT incubator targets women entrepreneurs who are developing solutions to address local challenges, particularly in underserved communities. Special emphasis is placed on supporting women living with disabilities and those from rural areas. The Ghana program, also implemented in collaboration with Village Capital and the Ghana Climate Innovation Centre, offers a condensed “Mini MBA” curriculum, networking opportunities, and pitch readiness workshops. Five standout ventures will be awarded grants of $10,000 each to implement their business plans.

In Kenya, where the gender digital divide remains a significant challenge, the program is focused on helping bridge the gap. Statistics show that more than 60% of women in the country lack essential digital skills, and only 40.8% of the population is actively online. The eighth cohort of the Women in Tech Accelerator Programme in Kenya, hosted at Strathmore University’s @iBizAfrica in partnership with Village Capital, seeks to change this narrative by empowering women-led startups to create inclusive and accessible tech solutions for their communities. Participants are supported with business advisory services, tech mentoring, and seed funding.

Uganda is also benefitting from Standard Chartered’s commitment to female-led entrepreneurship through a three-year Women in Tech Accelerator. The program, run in collaboration with Innovation Village and Village Capital, targets 60 women entrepreneurs with startup ideas that use technology to address pressing social and economic issues. Selected startups receive comprehensive support, including technical training, customer discovery guidance, and catalytic grants of up to $10,000. By investing in capacity building and access to finance, the program aims to lay the foundation for long-term business sustainability and impact.

In the United Arab Emirates, the seventh edition of the Women in Tech Accelerator reflects the region’s growing focus on innovation and startup growth. Partnering with Village Capital and C3 (Companies Creating Change), the UAE program offers women entrepreneurs equity-free funding of up to $150,000, in addition to world-class mentorship and exposure to international networks. The accelerator is designed to support women-led startups that are creating tech-enabled solutions across sectors such as health, education, fintech, and sustainability.

Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the Women in Tech program is structured as a four-stage accelerator. Delivered by INNOVentures Global with support from Village Capital, the program takes startups through selection, validation, capacity building, and scale-up phases. Participants benefit from mentorship, coaching, and technical support at each stage, with top-performing startups receiving scale-up grants and access to global opportunities.

Across all participating countries, the core goal of the Women in Tech initiative is to increase women’s participation in the technology sector—an area where they remain significantly underrepresented. By equipping women with the tools and knowledge to develop and grow their tech-based ventures, Standard Chartered is not only promoting gender equality but also strengthening national economies. Research consistently shows that empowering women entrepreneurs leads to job creation, improved household incomes, and more resilient communities.

The success stories emerging from the program reinforce its impact. Previous cohorts have seen participants raise investment capital, launch new products, expand into new markets, and build sustainable enterprises. Many of these entrepreneurs have also gone on to mentor others, creating ripple effects that extend beyond the program’s initial reach.

As the world increasingly shifts toward digital economies, initiatives like Women in Tech are crucial to ensuring that women are not left behind. Standard Chartered’s continued investment in female tech entrepreneurs reflects its broader commitment to inclusive growth, innovation, and social development. Through strategic partnerships and a focus on real-world outcomes, the bank is helping to shape a more equitable and technologically empowered future for women worldwide.