Standard Chartered launches its latest edition of the Women in Tech Accelerator in partnership with C3 – Companies Creating Change

Published on Zawya

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Standard Chartered, in collaboration with C3 - Companies Creating Change, announced today the launch of its latest cohort of the Women in Tech accelerator. This initiative aims to foster sustainable growth, and empower women entrepreneurs within the UAE's technology sector, focusing on promoting innovation, diversity, financial empowerment and economic development.

The Standard Chartered Women in Tech accelerator provides female founders with a distinct platform to unlock their potential, overcome obstacles, and expedite their business ventures. Operating as part of a global Women in Tech initiative spanning nine countries, the programme establishes a robust international network of empowered women in the tech industry. On the sixth edition of the accelerator, Standard Chartered partnered with C3, a prominent regional impact solutions provider and part of the Global Ventures platform, an international venture capital firm investing in founders and ideas scaling across emerging markets. C3 will provide tailored support to women founders, enabling them to accelerate their business and impact potential.

Rola Abu Manneh, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered in the UAE, Middle East, and Pakistan, said: “We are delighted to launch the sixth edition of this signature accelerator program in the UAE. This programme is a testament to our shared commitment with the UAE to champion women empowerment and support technological innovation. Through this dynamic initiative, which offers targeted support, mentorship and access to seed capital, we aim to empower women, enabling them to overcome barriers, seize opportunities and drive transformative change. By nurturing and equipping women with the necessary tools and resources, we are not only fostering diversity and inclusion but also fostering an environment full of innovation and progress.”

Medea Nocentini, C3 Founder and Senior Partner at Global Ventures, expressed enthusiasm, stating: "We are thrilled to partner with Standard Chartered for the upcoming Women in Technology programme. Leveraging C3's extensive experience in the impact entrepreneurship sector, we will empower women founders and facilitate their business journey to the next level of success. Through our expansive network of trainers, experts and investors, we aim to provide unparalleled access to knowledge, networks and capital for women-led startups, ensuring their sustainable growth and lasting impact in the technology sector."

Applications for the programme will open this week, inviting early-stage women founders, focusing on disruptive and impactful solutions based in the UAE, to apply by Sunday, 16 June, 2024. Ten startups will undergo a detailed selection process involving various entrepreneurship and investment stakeholders. The selected founders will embark on a tailored journey covering various topics, including business acceleration, investor readiness, impact assessment and acceleration, as well as diversity and inclusion.

The Women in Tech accelerator will prepare the participants for the Demo Day set to take place in October 2024, where female-led founding teams will pitch their businesses to a network of investors and industry experts. A panel of judges will select three businesses to receive 550,000 AED (USD 150,000) in equity-free seed capital, facilitating their startups' growth.

The Women in Tech programme aims to empower female entrepreneurs to navigate growth as they expand their impact-driven businesses, aligning with Standard Chartered's strategic focus on empowering women through entrepreneurship.

About Standard Chartered

We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 57 of the world’s most dynamic markets and serving clients in a further 64. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good.

Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges.

About C3 – Companies Creating Change

C3 is the leading impact innovation solutions provider in the Middle East and Africa, geared towards identifying and scaling 'profit with a purpose' startups that are focused on solving the world's most pressing environmental and social challenges aligned with the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals.

Over the past ten years, C3 has successfully accelerated 300+ cross-sector impact-driven startups spanning 26 countries, who have since raised $400M+ to date.