Standard Chartered Expands Futuremakers 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.  Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator will provide specialised training, catalytic funding, and access to a global network of peers, finance providers, industry leaders, and ecosystem partners.

Over three years, 400 women entrepreneurs will receive support to build thriving micro-businesses, create jobs, and drive lasting social and environmental impact.

The initiative aims to Provide more than 32 catalytic grants totalling almost US$1.9 million and enable and support over 1,200 jobs. Delivered in collaboration with local expert implementing partners, 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.

Tanuj Kapilashrami, Chief Strategy and Talent Officer at Standard Chartered, said empowering women is critical to economic growth, and central to its 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 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,” said Ms Kapilashrami.

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Highlighting the partnership’s impact, Ms Rachel Crawford, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Village Capital, said the 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, she said, “we aim to drive inclusive economic growth and ensure that women entrepreneurs can scale their businesses and impact communities at a transformative level.”

Commenting on the impact of the programme, a Women in Tech alumna, Priscilla, CEO and Co-Founder of Rhea, a microbusiness based in Kenya, said: “The Women in Tech programme not only provides access to crucial capital, but also a start-up support system that is tailored for women entrepreneurs to ensure they align their businesses for impact. I’ve gained the financial tools, mentorship, and network needed to scale my business with confidence.”

Futuremakers Women in Tech 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 US$600,000 in grant funding for entrepreneurs will be distributed annually across markets. Since launching over than a decade ago, Women in Tech has helped more than 4,000 women across 17 of Standard Chartered’s markets. Futuremakers Women in Tech applications already underway in the US. Futuremakers  Since launching in 2019, Futuremakers has enabled and supported more than 88,900 jobs.

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