Standard Chartered Pakistan, in collaboration with Village Capital and InnoVentures Global, has launched the eighth cohort of its Women in Tech Pakistan Accelerator, marking eight consecutive years of the bank’s structured investment in women-led technology ventures across the country. The 2026 edition of the programme continues a trajectory that has seen over 1,300 businesses supported since the initiative’s inception in Pakistan, with more than 150 women founders having graduated from the accelerator and upwards of 50 startups successfully securing seed-stage funding. Applications for the current cohort are open until May 1, 2026, with the selected startups set to participate in the programme running from June through October.
The 2026 edition aims to further strengthen women-led, tech-enabled ventures by offering investment readiness training, access to catalytic capital, and connections to global investor networks, with local implementation handled by InnoVentures Global, leveraging its experience in startup incubation and ecosystem development. Rehan Shaikh, Chief Executive Officer and Head of Coverage at Standard Chartered Pakistan, emphasised the bank’s ongoing commitment to bridging gaps faced by women entrepreneurs, noting that limited access to funding and professional networks remains a persistent structural challenge and that enabling women-led enterprises is critical for building a more inclusive and resilient entrepreneurial landscape. Nakami Walunywa, Regional Director for Africa and the Middle East at Village Capital, highlighted that in 2025 alone, 71 women-led startups participating in the initiative collectively generated over USD 2 million in additional revenue, underscoring the tangible commercial impact of targeted support and funding access.
The accelerator is part of a broader three-year regional initiative designed to address persistent barriers faced by women entrepreneurs, particularly in accessing finance, mentorship, and business development opportunities. Across the region, around 400 women founders are expected to benefit from the programme’s structured support. Globally, the Standard Chartered Women in Tech initiative has supported more than 4,000 women entrepreneurs across 17 markets, and for 2026 the programme has earmarked over USD 600,000 in grant funding across 12 countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and Nigeria. Nida Athar, Founder of InnoVentures Global, noted that despite economic uncertainties, women founders in Pakistan are building resilient and scalable businesses that contribute meaningfully to economic growth while inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs. Women-led technology ventures interested in applying can access further details and eligibility criteria through the official Women in Tech platform by Standard Chartered.
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