…As Standard Chartered set to unveil winners of Women in Tech programme
Nneka Okekearu, director of the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC), Pan-Atlantic University, said empowering women in technology is crucial for fostering innovation and growth in the ecosystem.
She stated this in relation to the 5th edition of the Standard Chartered Bank (Nigeria) Women in Tech programme, an initiative that targets female-led entrepreneurial teams by providing training, mentorship, and seed funding.
“The Standard Chartered Women in Tech program, implemented by the Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University is dedicated to creating opportunities for women to thrive in a rapidly evolving industry, ensuring their voices are heard and their contributions valued. Together, we are paving the way for a more equitable tech landscape,” Okekearu said in a statement.
The bank is set to reward five female tech entrepreneurs in its Women in Tech incubator initiative with the sum of N10m each. This edition which was launched in July is the fifth edition of the program in Nigeria.
This follows the completion of the last four editions which have seen 20 winners emerge to date collectively receiving over $200,000 in seed funding for their businesses.
Similar to previous editions, 10 young female tech-preneurs went through a 12-week executive bootcamp during which they interacted with industry experts, business development coaches and executives from Standard Chartered.
The top ten finalists proceeding to the next stage are Oluseyi Agbedana, co-founder/CEO, Genzaar; Folake Kofo-Idowu, founder, IYEWO; Temitope Hundeyin, co-founder/CEO of Blumefy; Hannah Osayande, BARITEX ISL; Ijeoma Chukwu, founder, IJM Global Limited; Chinelo Okafor, founder, Daisy Tech Limited; Temitope Kareem, co-founder, HubPharm Africa; Nana Annah, founder, Nester Global Solution Service (NGSS) and Onyekachi Kalu, founder, Lilac Africa.
Following the bootcamp, five winners with the most compelling ideas will be chosen with each winner being awarded N10 million to invest in their business, asides other business development opportunities, after they must have successfully pitched their proposals.
“We are pleased to continue empowering female entrepreneurs in Nigeria through the SC Women in tech Incubator. We are optimistic about the impact this programme will have on the socio-economic empowerment of women entrepreneurs in Nigeria,” Joke Adu, head of corporate affairs, brand and marketing, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited, stated.
According to her, the financial and developmental support the beneficiaries get will go a long way in ensuring the sustainability of their businesses while creating employment for more women and youth in the country.
“We are excited about the endless growth opportunities and ripple effect this growth will have on the economy. This initiative builds on the bank’s track record of increasing women’s access to entrepreneurial finance, employability and supporting adolescent girls and women through financing and capacity building,” Adu stated.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
