Standard Chartered Bank Limited is to launch a global program called Women in Tech that is aimed at supporting greater diversity in gender representation within technology based entrepreneurship.
The bank has partnered with INNOVentures and the Pakistan Innovation Foundation (PIF), with the aim to promote the economic and social development of women in Pakistan through innovation or technology led entrepreneurship.
During the program, the Bank will be focusing on capacity building for women-owned small enterprises. The program will specifically target women entrepreneurs and provide them with training, mentorship and seed funding. There will also be an open call for participation leading to a final selection of up to top 25 contestants. At the end, five winners will be chosen and awarded up to USD10,000 to invest in their business.
Furthermore, the program was launched at an event recently that consisted of an all-women discussion panel that talked about women entrepreneurs; cost of technology in running business and the digital divide that was led by Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, Pakistani development economist, diplomat and intellectual, Jehan Ara, President of the Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT, Shandana Gulzar, Parliamentary Secretary at Ministry of Commerce, Government of Pakistan, PTI’s Member of the National Assembly and Rabia Nizami, PTI’s Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA), with Saad Amanullah, Chairman Pakistan Innovation Foundation (PIF).
Speaking on the launch of the program, Mr. Shazad Dada, Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered said, “I am proud to launch Women in tech in Pakistan today. We are optimistic that this programme will act as a great platform of support for aspiring women entrepreneurs and business owners in Pakistan and help them realize their true potential. It will help identify, grow and bring to the market unique business ideas, while at the same time celebrating women in Pakistan. This initiative builds upon Standard Chartered’s focus on increasing women’s access to entrepreneurial finance, and supporting adolescent girls and women through capacity building. It encapsulates the essence of the Bank’s sustainability strategy of Futuremakers, enabling the next generation to learn, earn and grow.”
The program was first launched by Standard Chartered in 2014 at the City College of New York where it created the Women Entrepreneurs Resource Centre and in Kenya in 2017 with iLab Africa Strathmore University to support the economic and social development of women in Africa through innovation or technology led entrepreneurship. Pakistan is the third market that has been selected for the program.
