Standard Chartered has announced a significant expansion of its Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator, a programme dedicated to supporting women-led startups across Africa, the Middle East, and Pakistan. Through a new three-year partnership with Village Capital, the initiative will provide women entrepreneurs with essential skills, funding, and access to global business networks, helping them build resilient businesses that create jobs and drive long-term social and environmental impact.
The Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator is part of Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, the bank’s global youth economic empowerment initiative. The programme is funded primarily by the Standard Chartered Foundation, which focuses on promoting economic inclusion for disadvantaged young people, with a particular focus on young women and people with disabilities.
Programme Scope and Impact Goals
The expanded accelerator will support 400 women entrepreneurs over the next three years. In addition to investment-readiness training, tailored mentorship, and access to global and local business networks, the programme will provide catalytic grants aimed at scaling businesses and driving sustainable impact.
Key Targets
- Over 1,200 jobs enabled and supported through women-led businesses.
- More than 32 grants provided, totaling nearly USD 1.9 million in funding across the 12 participating markets.
Participating Countries
The programme will be delivered in 12 Standard Chartered markets, with ongoing programmes in:
- Bahrain, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, UAE, and Zambia
Additionally, the programme will expand into Uganda and Egypt.
Addressing Barriers Faced by Women Entrepreneurs
Tanuj Kapilashrami, Chief Strategy and Talent Officer at Standard Chartered, said empowering women is critical for economic growth, and that providing equitable access to funding and resources is essential to fostering innovation and sustainable development. She explained that through initiatives like Futuremakers Women in Tech, Standard Chartered aims to tackle systemic challenges facing women entrepreneurs, including limited access to capital, weak business networks, and gender biases in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
According to Kapilashrami, Standard Chartered’s broader commitment to women’s economic empowerment is reflected not only through philanthropic initiatives like Futuremakers, but also through its banking propositions such as the SC Women’s International Network, and its work to promote diversity in supply chains. By creating tailored programmes that directly address the needs of women microbusiness owners, the bank hopes to unlock financial potential and drive community-level impact.
Village Capital’s Role in Supporting Inclusive Growth
Village Capital, known for its innovative approaches to supporting early-stage impact-focused businesses, will play a crucial role in delivering the accelerator across the 12 markets.
Since its founding in 2009, Village Capital has supported nearly 1,800 startups globally, helping them raise over USD 5 billion in investment capital. Through its various investment vehicles, Village Capital has made more than 150 investments, including funding 110 peer-selected startups.
The organization’s Abaca platform also helps entrepreneurs, ecosystem partners, and capital providers connect, assess investment readiness, and identify the most suitable financing options. Its Capital Explorer feature further enhances this by helping founders discover funding opportunities tailored to their business stage and sector.
Rachel Crawford, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Village Capital, described the partnership with Standard Chartered as a gamechanger for women entrepreneurs across Africa, the Middle East, and Pakistan. She highlighted that by combining resources, catalytic capital, and localized market support, the programme aims to drive inclusive economic growth while empowering women-led businesses to make transformative impacts in their communities.
Real-Life Impact: Success Story from Kenya
Priscilla, CEO and Co-Founder of Rhea, a Kenyan microbusiness, shared her experience as a past participant in the Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator. She described the programme as a gamechanger for her business, helping her not only access critical funding, but also providing a tailored support system designed specifically for women entrepreneurs.
Through the programme, Priscilla gained:
- Financial management tools necessary for scaling.
- Personalized mentorship from experienced business leaders.
- A peer network of fellow women entrepreneurs, enhancing her access to markets and collaboration opportunities.
These tools and resources enabled Priscilla to scale her business with confidence, demonstrating the practical, on-the-ground impact of the programme.
Applications Open in April 2025
What Selected Entrepreneurs Will Receive
Applications for the 2025 Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator will open in late April 2025. Entrepreneurs selected for the programme will benefit from:
- Investment-readiness training customized for their business stage.
- Personalized development plans to address unique challenges.
- Expert mentorship from industry leaders and business advisors.
- Networking opportunities with potential partners, investors, and peers.
- Annual grant funding exceeding USD 600,000 distributed across all participating markets.
Futuremakers’ Proven Impact
Since its launch more than a decade ago, Futuremakers Women in Tech has supported over 4,000 women entrepreneurs across 17 Standard Chartered markets. The programme continues to evolve, with ongoing applications in the United States and expansion into new markets like Egypt and Uganda in 2025.
More broadly, the Futuremakers by Standard Chartered initiative, which launched in 2019, has contributed to enabling and supporting over 88,900 jobs globally.
Conclusion
By scaling its Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator in partnership with Village Capital, Standard Charteredis addressing the gender funding gap and providing a comprehensive support system for women entrepreneurs across Africa, the Middle East, and Pakistan. With funding, skills training, mentorship, and global networks, the programme offers a clear pathway for women-led businesses to thrive and contribute to inclusive economic development.
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