Standard Chartered Empowers 5 Female Tech Founders with $10,000 Each in Its Women-in-Tech Incubator

Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria has announced the five winners of its 6th Futuremakers Women-in-Tech Incubator, awarding each woman-led startup $10,000 in equity-free seed funding. The initiative, which focuses on empowering women building innovative technology solutions, continues to position itself as one of Nigeria’s most impactful programmes for female founders seeking real financial support and mentorship.

According to ThisDayLive, the programme began with a call for applications earlier this year, attracting hundreds of submissions from different sectors of Nigeria’s tech space. From this pool, ten finalists were selected to participate in a 12-week intensive bootcamp that helped refine their business models, improve their financial structures, and strengthen their growth strategies. The goal was to equip them with investor-readiness skills and put them in a position to build sustainable, scalable companies.

To ensure quality and credibility, Standard Chartered partnered with two respected institutions Village Capital and the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of Pan-Atlantic University. Their involvement gave the selected finalists access to expert mentorship, business advisory sessions, and practical workshops that addressed the real challenges women in tech often face, including funding limitations, limited networks, and low visibility.

A Rigorous Bootcamp Focused on Growth

According to The Nation Newspaper, the 12-week programme was structured around hands-on learning. Participants were taught critical business skills including financial literacy, product development, branding, customer acquisition, and market positioning. They also held pitch practices and received direct feedback from experts with years of experience working with high-growth startups.

By the end of the training, the finalists presented their improved business ideas to a panel of judges who assessed innovation, market potential, problem-solving ability, and scalability. The top five founders were awarded $10,000 each, with no strings attached — a significant advantage for early-stage entrepreneurs who usually face challenges accessing funding without losing equity.

Meet the Women Redefining Tech in Nigeria

The five winners selected for this year’s edition represent a wide range of industries:

Chinwendu Nweke — Bridge Merchant Enterprise

Omolara Olarerin — Pocket Food

Blessing Aniefiok — Dynalimb Technologies

Omobosola Alaka — Hafrikplay

Olapeju Nwanganga — Ploutos Page Limited

These founders are building solutions in food technology, assistive technology, fintech, digital entertainment, and enterprise services. Their innovations address everyday challenges such as efficient food distribution, assistive devices for persons with disabilities, digital payments, accessible entertainment platforms, and business productivity tools.

Their diversity highlights the growing involvement of women in various parts of Nigeria's tech ecosystem, where female-led innovation is becoming more visible and influential.

Why This Programme Matters for the Future of Nigerian Tech

Women in Nigeria’s tech space continue to make significant progress, but challenges around limited capital, gender bias, and lack of access to decision-making spaces remain widespread. Programmes like Standard Chartered’s Women-in-Tech incubator are helping to close these gaps by providing not only funding but also training, global exposure, and mentorship.

Speaking at the announcement ceremony, Joke Adu, Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand & Marketing at Standard Chartered Nigeria, reiterated the bank’s dedication to supporting women entrepreneurs. She noted that empowering women is a strategic investment in Nigeria’s digital future because women consistently reinvest in their businesses, families, and communities.

Ayodeji Adelagun, Executive Director for Financial Markets at the bank, added that the long-term plan is to continue expanding opportunities for women in tech, creating a stronger pipeline of female founders capable of competing globally. He emphasized that the programme is not just a CSR initiative, but part of a broader economic empowerment vision.

Long-Term Impact Since 2019

Since its launch in 2019, the Women-in-Tech programme has supported over 25 women-led startups and contributed more than $250,000 in equity-free funding. Beyond Nigeria, the Futuremakers initiative by Standard Chartered aims to empower more than 360 women entrepreneurs across emerging markets, helping them access financial tools, investment opportunities, and high-quality business networks.

The programme’s impact has been evident in previous cohorts, with several alumni going on to scale their solutions, raise additional funding, and expand across Nigeria and beyond. The growing success of these founders has inspired more women to pursue careers in tech entrepreneurship.

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What’s Next for the 2025 Winners

The newly selected winners will continue to receive post-programme mentorship, advisory support, and opportunities to present their businesses to potential investors. They will also gain access to a wider network of technology leaders, business professionals, and global partners who can help them accelerate their growth.

As Nigeria continues to strengthen its position as one of Africa’s biggest tech hubs, initiatives like this are ensuring that women are not left behind but are instead shaping the next generation of digital innovation.