Standard Chartered in collaboration with C3- Companies Creating Change has launched the latest phase of the Women in Tech accelerator initiative. This focuses on sustainable growth and empowers women entrepreneurs within the UAE’s technology sector, focusing on promoting innovation, diversity, financial empowerment, and economic development.
Standard Chartered has opened up a platform for women entrepreneurs to grow, sustain, and expedite their business ventures. Through this initiative, many women entrepreneurs have been empowered and know more about the tech industry. Standard Chartered in partnership with C3 will give women entrepreneurs tailored support and enable 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 program is a testament to our shared commitment with the UAE to champion women’s 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 program. 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.”
The program will begin accepting applications from UAE-based early-stage women founders by June 16, 2024. This initiative is set to seek disruptive and impactful solutions.
Some key players in entrepreneurship and investment circles will carefully select ten startups. They will embark on a tailored program that will cover a set of crucial topics like business acceleration, investor readiness, impact assessment, and diversity and inclusion.
The Women in Tech accelerator proposes to equip participants with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the competitive startup landscape. The main highlight of the program is the Demo Day scheduled for October 2024, where female-led founding teams will pitch their businesses to a distinguished network of investors and industry experts.
The pitches will be evaluated by a panel of distinguished entrepreneurs and they will select three standout businesses to receive 550,000 AED (USD 150,000) each in equity-free seed capital. This funding will provide the selected startups with the necessary resources to fuel their growth and drive their ventures forward.