You might have seen the news about the Standard Chartered Foundation and its work with the Women in Tech Kenya Accelerator programme. Today at Standard Chartered in Nairobi, seven women-led startups received KES 9 million in grant funding to help their businesses grow. Each of these companies will receive KES 1.29 million to support product development, business growth and the expansion of their solutions. This announcement happened at the Women in Tech Kenya Cohort 9 Award Ceremony and Graduation held today.
The ceremony also marked the graduation of 15 women founders after they completed a 12-week accelerator programme. The Standard Chartered Foundation delivered this training in partnership with Village Capital and @iBizAfrica at Strathmore University for Women in Tech. Women led, technology enabled businesses receive business development support, mentorship, investment readiness training, networks and access to catalytic funding. These women-led tech-enabled startups work across sectors including agriculture, healthcare, financial inclusion, education, renewable energy and accessibility.
Since its launch in Kenya in 2017, this Women in Tech programme has supported 107 women-led startups around the country. It has also awarded more than KES 51.5 million in funding alongside business development support, mentorship and access to networks. Globally, the Women in Tech Accelerator is active in 14 Standard Chartered markets across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the US. It has supported more than 4,000 entrepreneurs to date in those 14 Standard Chartered markets.
Dr Vincent Ogutu, Vice-Chancellor of Strathmore University, spoke at the ceremony and noted that partnership has been central to the success of this Women in Tech programme. He explained that what began in Kenya as a collaboration between Strathmore University, Standard Chartered and Village Capital has now expanded to 13 countries. He noted the programme helps entrepreneurs identify real problems, develop strong solutions and become highly skilled at their work.
Birju Sanghrajka, Chief Executive Officer and Head of Coverage for Standard Chartered Kenya, said the bank celebrates the 15 entrepreneurs who have strengthened their businesses. The seven receiving funding are tackling different challenges, united by an ambition to grow and create impact. Women in Tech goes beyond capital by providing the skills, networks and support women entrepreneurs need to build sustainable businesses. This approach helps them create opportunities and strengthen their communities over a longer period of time.
The seven winning startups cover areas such as health tech, education, aquaculture, agriculture and consulting as part of Women in Tech. Premac Care connects families with trained healthcare professionals for maternal and newborn care, post-hospitalisation recovery, elderly care and specialised nursing needs. ChipuRobo provides inclusive, hands-on AI and robotics education through locally fabricated kits for students to use. FishBox Africa offers AI-powered farm management software and smart feeders to help fish farmers improve yields.
Uptyke Consulting provides accessible, AI-powered digital learning for learners with disabilities through sign language, audio and interactive content. Nakuru Tubers connects smallholder farmers to verified agricultural inputs through digital tools, demand matching and last-mile distribution. Trident Analytics uses IoT, AI and digital tools to help smallholder aquaculture farmers monitor farms and access markets. Seta Farm uses organic waste to produce mushrooms while creating income opportunities for women and youth through a decentralised production network. All seven finalists entered the Women in Tech Accelerator to showcase their work to judges.
The winners were selected through a competitive judging process that assessed their business models, market opportunity, innovation, growth potential and social or economic impact. These startups join a Women in Tech network of founders who are building technology enabled solutions for real problems. Their graduation adds to the more than 107 women-led startups supported since its launch in 2017.