Standard Chartered Boosts Investment In Its Women In Tech Programme

Standard Chartered has announced a partnership with Village Capital to expand its Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator across Africa, the Middle East, and Pakistan.

The programme will provide specialised training, catalytic funding, and access to a global network of peers, finance providers, industry leaders, and ecosystem partners. Over the next three years, over 400 women entrepreneurs will receive support to build thriving microbusinesses, create jobs, and drive lasting social and environmental impact. The initiative aims to provide more than 32 catalytic grants totalling almost $1.9 Million and support over 1200 jobs.

The Accelerator will be available across 12 of Standard Chartered’s markets, continuing in Bahrain, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, UAE, and Zambia, and expanding to two new markets – Uganda and Egypt.

Speaking on this, Tanuj Kapilashrami, the Chief Strategy and Talent Officer at Standard Chartered said that empowering women is critical to economic growth and central to the bank’s stand of lifting participation by unleashing the financial potential of women and small businesses.

“We believe equitable access to funding and resources is essential to fostering innovation and driving meaningful social impact – whether it be through our Futuremakers philanthropic programmes, our banking propositions such as the SC Women’s International Network, or the work we do towards supporting a diverse supplier base. Through the Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator, we are addressing the systemic challenges women microbusiness owners face, creating pathways for them to scale their businesses which will, in turn, help drive positive change in their communities,” Kapilashrami noted.

On her part, Rachel Crawford, the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Village Capital, said that the partnership is a gamechanger for women-led startups across the covered regions.

“Our partnership with Standard Chartered is a gamechanger for women-led start-ups across Africa, the Middle East, and Pakistan. By providing critical resources, catalytic capital, and market-level support, we aim to drive inclusive economic growth and ensure that women entrepreneurs can scale their businesses and impact communities at a transformative level,” she said.

Applications for the 2025 Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator will open in late April. Participants will receive investment-readiness training, personalised development plans, and expert mentorship, working with advisors and industry leaders to strengthen their business models and access networking opportunities. More than USD600K in grant funding for entrepreneurs will be distributed annually across markets.

Since launching more than a decade ago, Women in Tech has helped more than 4,000 women across 17 of Standard Chartered’s markets