Standard Chartered Women in Tech Accelerator Awards 1 Million Funding to 10 Pak Startups

• Standard Chartered Pakistan's Women in Tech Accelerator Programme released its latest outcome
• The program is managed in partnership with Village Capital and INNOVentures Global
• The investment is focused on assisting them in testing and executing their scaling strategies

Standard Chartered Pakistan Women in Tech Accelerator Programme, which is operated in partnership with VC firm Village Capital and venture platform INNOVentures Global, has revealed that 10 outstanding startups have been chosen from among a cohort of 30 participants who went through a five-day business acceleration bootcamp.

All the chosen ventures will be given PKR one million in funding to test and grow their business proposals.

The startups chosen are from different industries including women empowerment, mental health, edtech, health and wellness, climate innovation, and circular fashion.

Founders will get one-on-one mentorship, scheduled programming, and tactical guidance over the coming eight weeks that is designed to hone their business models, test market hypotheses, and strengthen their growth trajectories.

Launched in 2019, the Women in Tech Accelerator offers not just funding but also mentorship, knowledge sharing, and resources needed for women entrepreneurs to scale up their businesses with confidence.

 "Together, we are building an ecosystem where women-led businesses can make a lasting economic impact in Pakistan," added Raeda Latif, Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand & Marketing at Standard Chartered Pakistan.

The 10 Finalist

1. Atfaal (Erum Sheheryar): A children's clothing brand that is sustainable and makes use of factory waste by upcycling it, and provides training and respectful employment opportunities to underprivileged women.
2. AZ CO (Asra Amin): The first women-focused coworking project in Pakistan, which provides safe working spaces, mentorship, wellness, daycare, and an AI-powered hybrid platform.
3. BizB (Sehrish Raza): A preloved fashion re-commerce marketplace that intends to decline waste and empower women as micro-entrepreneurs.
4. Calcix International (Noor Riaz & Fizza Munir): A green materials enterprise that develops biodegradable limestone pellets as a substitute for plastics.
5. Dakhlay (Sheharbano Zuhair): An online admissions portal streamlining and unifying college and university applications, together with individualized support and financial aid assistance.
6. Digital Superwomen (Nida S. Fahad & Tooba Syed): Leverages a 70,000-strong community to provide AI-driven digital upskilling, mentorship, and career prospects for women.
7. FitHER (Dr. Shaista Khalid): A women-centric health and wellness ecosystem with personalized, expert-led support specific to women's needs.
8. Ootein (Maria Ameer): Pakistan's first allergen-free food brand certified in a contamination-free factory, delivering safe, affordable staples at affordable prices.
9. Soch Matters (Hiba Khan): An online mental health and career guidance platform linking users to certified professionals for affordable, private help.
10. Yumkis Foods (Hira Mubeen): A baby food company producing high-nutrient, diverse, additive-free cereals for infants and young children to enhance early life nutrition.