Standard Chartered Foundation, in partnership with Village Capital, announced the launch of the eighth edition of the Women in Tech Accelerator in the UAE, continuing its support for women-led, tech-enabled startups at a critical stage of growth.
The 2026 cohort will equip founders with investment readiness training, catalytic funding, and access to global networks, enabling them to strengthen their businesses and scale. In the UAE, the accelerator will be delivered by C3, a B Corp™ certified consultancy, leveraging its proven expertise in entrepreneur support and ecosystem development.
Since its launch in the UAE, the programme has supported 61 women-led startups. In 2025, 92 per cent of participants developed business growth plans and 83 per cent reported improved performance. Alumni include Biosapien, which raised USD 7 million in pre-Series A funding, and Ostaz, which was acquired by Inspired Education Group. Five startups have also been recognised on the UAE Future 100 list by the Ministry of Economy.
The Standard Chartered Women in Tech Accelerator builds on the strong global track record, which has supported over 4,000 women across 17 markets since inception. This year, the program has allocated more than USD 600,000 in grant funding to entrepreneurs across 12 markets, with the UAE cohort competing for equity-free cash prizes totalling USD 150,000 at Demo Day.
