Standard Chartered, the British multinational bank, has launched the seventh cohort of its Women in Tech accelerator in the UAE, in partnership with UAE-based impact-driven enterprise C3 – Companies Creating Change and Village Capital, a seed-stage venture capital firm.
As part of its global Futuremakers programme, which aims to promote economic inclusion for disadvantaged young people, Standard Chartered aims for the accelerator to support women-led startups through tailored training, funding, and access to its networks.
Through the initiative, selected startups will gain access to up to AED550,000 ($150,000) in equity-free funding from the Standard Chartered Foundation. Across all participating markets, Standard Chartered plans to distribute more than AED2.2million ($600,000) in catalytic grants annually. Founders will also benefit from expert mentorship, and exposure to regional and global investors.
“The Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator reflects our commitment to advancing economic inclusion and empowering women entrepreneurs to thrive,” explained Rola Abu Manneh, CEO, UAE, Middle East and Pakistan, at Standard Chartered.
“Launching our seventh cohort in the UAE is a testament to our long-standing support for the UAE’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, and to helping innovative, women-led businesses access the resources, networks, and funding they need to scale their impact. It also underlines our broader commitment to championing women’s empowerment and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion across the communities we serve.”
Creating opportunities for underrepresented entrepreneurs
Female entrepreneurs continue to face systemic barriers to scaling their businesses. In a move to change this, the three-year initiative looks to help women overcome these challenges. Through the accelerator, 400 women founders across the wider region will benefit from tailored investment-readiness support, grant funding, and mentorship opportunities that will enable their ventures to grow sustainably, while creating long-lasting community impact.
C3 will deliver the programme locally, leveraging its expertise in entrepreneur support and ecosystem development.
Kevin Holliday, managing director at C3, also commented: “We are proud to partner with Standard Chartered once again for the Futuremakers Women in Tech programme, and are excited to welcome Village Capital on board this year. At C3, we’re focused on backing purpose-driven founders with the tools and connections they need to scale. This initiative reflects the power of collaboration in creating real opportunities for underrepresented entrepreneurs across the UAE.”
The Standard Chartered Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator builds on the successful global track record of the Women in Tech initiative, which has supported over 4,000 women across 17 markets since inception.
