Standard Chartered, Village Capital partner on women-led start-ups

Standard Chartered Bank and Village Capital are partnering to equip women-led start-ups with essential skills, financing, and networks to drive long-term impact.

The partnership is expected to boosts investment in the bank’s Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator programme across Africa, the Middle East and Pakistan

The Futuremakers initiative is Standard Chartered global youth economic empowerment programme for disadvantaged young people, and with funding from the Standard Chartered Foundation.

The bank’s Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator will provide specialised training, catalytic funding, and access to a global network of peers, finance providers, industry leaders, and ecosystem partners.

Over three years, 400 women entrepreneurs will receive support to build thriving microbusinesses, create jobs, and drive lasting social and environmental impact.

The 2025 Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator will open in late April. Participants will receive investment-readiness training, personalised development plans, and expert mentorship, working with advisors and industry leaders to strengthen their business models and access networking opportunities.

Tanuj Kapilashrami, chief strategy and talent officer at Standard Chartered, said that empowering women is critical to economic growth and central to the bank’s stand of lifting participation by unleashing the financial potential of women and small businesses.

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“We believe equitable access to funding and resources is essential to fostering innovation and driving meaningful social impact – whether it be through our Futuremakers philanthropic programmes, our banking propositions such as the SC Women’s International Network, or the work we do towards supporting a diverse supplier base,” Kapilashrami said.

According to Kapilashrami, the bank is addressing the systemic challenges women microbusiness owners face through the Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator, by creating pathways for them to scale their businesses which will, in turn, help drive positive change in their communities.

Dalu Ajene, CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited said, empowering businesses founded or led by women is crucial to accelerating progress towards fulfilling Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria.

According to Ajene, the promotion of greater economic inclusion is one of the many ways the bank continue to tackle inequality in the Nigerian market. “Since the country launch of the SC Women in Technology initiative in 2019, this first of its kind initiative in Nigeria has supported greater diversity in gender representation of women in the country’s technology sector.”

Speaking on the impact of the programme in Nigeria, Ajene disclosed that the Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator initiative would provide access to industry expertise, resources, mentorship and seed-financing to support the next generation of female entrepreneurs in tech to learn, earn, grow and become agents of sustainable impact in the country.

Rachel Crawford, chief strategy and innovation officer at Village Capital, said the partnership with Standard Chartered is a game changer for women-led start-ups across Africa, the Middle East, and Pakistan.

“By providing critical resources, catalytic capital, and market-level support, we aim to drive inclusive economic growth and ensure that women entrepreneurs can scale their businesses and impact communities at a transformative level.”