The Standard Chartered Women in Tech UAE Accelerator, delivered by the Standard Chartered Foundation, C3, and Village Capital, has officially announced the final six startups completing its 2026 cohort. This year’s accelerator brings together a diverse group of 12 female founders from 12 different nationalities, all united by a shared mission to turn bold, innovative ideas into scalable businesses that address pressing regional and global challenges.
Expanding The Roster Of Innovators
With the accelerator well underway, the unveiling of these additional startups highlights the depth of female-led innovation within the MENA ecosystem. The newly announced founders and their respective startups include:
- Ranime El Skaff (Prop-AI): An AI-powered real estate platform designed to turn complex market data into clear, actionable property decisions.
- Leni Andronicos (Numi): An AI agent that manages a user’s entire financial life, handling everything from paying bills and clearing debt to autonomous investing.
- Anuscha Iqbal (Qanooni AI): A Legal-AI platform seamlessly embedded in Microsoft 365, helping lawyers efficiently review, draft, research, and manage legal matters.
- Lara Varjabedian (UBQT): An AI-powered platform aimed at turning fragmented digital connections into meaningful, real-life interactions.
- Kausar Tahir (MeNOW Health): A clinically informed, multilingual digital health platform dedicated to supporting women through perimenopause and menopause.
- Hoor Alkatheeri (HAAY): A climate tech company building atmospheric water generation systems that produce drinking water directly from the air for commercial spaces.
Empowering Female Founders In MENA
For startups in the UAE and the broader MENA region, accelerators like this play a vital role in overcoming the traditional barriers to scale and investment readiness. By participating in this cohort, these founders are gaining access to extensive mentorship, expert-led workshops, and a sprawling network of seasoned investors. The program is designed to move beyond just acceleration, acting as a springboard for early-stage companies to strengthen their operational foundations and tap into a supportive, gender-diverse entrepreneurial community.
About C3 – Companies Creating Change
Companies Creating Change (C3) is a UAE-based social enterprise and B Corp™-certified impact platform dedicated to helping purpose-driven entrepreneurs unlock unique opportunities and achieve lasting growth. Leveraging a global network of experts, investors, and corporate partners like the Standard Chartered Foundation, C3 provides hands-on training, customized accelerator programs, and strategic advisory to help startups maximize their social and environmental impact.
Source: LinkedIn
