Standard Chartered, in partnership with the AUC Venture Lab and Village Capital, has successfully concluded the first cohort of its “Women in Tech” accelerator program in Egypt. The initiative, part of the bank’s global “Futuremakers” program, aims to empower female entrepreneurs and foster innovation within the country’s technology sector.
The inaugural cycle culminated in three startups—Aziza, Tribe, and Learning Rockets—each receiving $10,000 in equity-free seed capital to support their growth and societal impact.
A Competitive Selection Process
The program attracted significant interest from across Egypt, with over 240 women-led startups applying. Following a rigorous three-month review and selection process, 12 companies were chosen to join the first cohort.
Ultimately, 11 startups successfully graduated from the intensive program, which included over 35 training sessions and more than 40 practical mentorship and panel discussions. Participants received hands-on training in essential business areas, including strategy development, growth scaling, and investor pitching, from experts in technology, finance, marketing, and innovation management.
Three Startups Secure Equity-Free Funding
Following a final pitch day before a judging panel of industry experts, three standout startups were selected as winners. Aziza, Tribe, and Learning Rockets were each awarded $10,000 to fuel their expansion and drive sustainable impact in their respective communities.
The judging panel included representatives from Standard Chartered Egypt, the American University in Cairo, Village Capital, and Dar Ventures, among other global experts.
Fostering a More Inclusive Ecosystem
Mohamed Gad, CEO and Head of Corporate, Commercial and Institutional Banking at Standard Chartered Egypt, commented on the milestone. “We are proud to graduate the first cohort of the Futuremakers ‘Women in Tech’ program in Egypt. This achievement is a significant landmark and a strong start in our efforts to enhance women’s participation and leadership in this sector. The dedication and excellence shown by the graduates reflect the transformative potential of this initiative.”
Dr. Ayman Ismail, Founding Director of AUC Venture Lab, added, “Over the past three months, we have worked with 11 female entrepreneurs to develop their projects and enhance their chances of success, in addition to growing their skills and expanding their professional networks. Our collaboration with Standard Chartered and Village Capital enabled us to offer a program that combines practical knowledge with real-world insights, specifically designed to meet their actual needs.”
About the Women in Tech Program
The “Women in Tech” accelerator targets early-stage, women-led startups in Egypt with a viable product or a proven business model. A key requirement is that each company has at least one female founder between the ages of 18 and 35 and aligns with one or more of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The first cohort represented six diverse sectors: healthcare, e-commerce, edtech, clean energy, manufacturing, and pet insurance. The “Futuremakers” initiative has a global footprint, having supported over 4,000 female-led enterprises across 17 markets, including Bahrain, KSA, the UAE, Nigeria, and Pakistan.
Source: Eltaameer
