Seven women-led technology startups have received KES 9 million ($70,000) in grant funding from the Standard Chartered Foundation, culminating a 12-week accelerator programme that also graduated 15 women founders in Nairobi on Wednesday.

Each of the seven companies will receive KES 1.29 million to fund product development, business growth and expansion. 

The awards were announced at the Women in Tech Kenya Cohort 9 Award Ceremony and Graduation, held at Standard Chartered’s offices in the Kenyan capital.

The programme, delivered by the Standard Chartered Foundation in partnership with the US-based venture firm Village Capital and @iBizAfrica at Strathmore University, provides women-led, technology-enabled businesses with business development support, mentorship, investment-readiness training, networks and catalytic funding.

The ninth cohort drew 15 startups operating across agriculture, healthcare, financial inclusion, education, renewable energy and accessibility.

The seven winners reflect that breadth. Premac Care is a health-tech venture connecting families with trained professionals for maternal and newborn care, post-hospitalisation recovery and elderly care. ChipuRobo provides hands-on AI and robotics education through locally fabricated kits. 

FishBox Africa and Trident Analytics both apply artificial intelligence and internet-of-things tools to aquaculture, helping smallholder fish farmers manage farms, automate operations and access markets.

Uptyke Consulting delivers AI-powered digital learning for learners with disabilities via sign language, audio and interactive content. Nakuru Tubers connects smallholder farmers to verified agricultural inputs through digital tools and last-mile distribution. 

Seta Farm, a circular agribusiness, uses organic waste to produce mushrooms while creating income opportunities for women and youth through a decentralised production network.

Winners were chosen through a competitive process assessing business models, market opportunity, innovation, growth potential and social or economic impact.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Vincent Ogutu, Vice-Chancellor of Strathmore University, framed the programme as a study in partnership. “What began in Kenya as a collaboration between Strathmore University, Standard Chartered and Village Capital has now expanded to 13 countries,” he said. “Our goal is to support entrepreneurs to identify real problems, develop exceptional solutions and become excellent at what they do.”

Birju Sanghrajka, Chief Executive Officer and Head of Coverage at Standard Chartered Kenya, said the bank was “proud to celebrate 15 entrepreneurs who have strengthened their businesses over the past 12 weeks,” adding that the seven funded ventures were “tackling different challenges, united by an ambition to grow and create impact.”

The grants are modest by venture-capital standards, but officials present them as bridge capital for businesses too early for equity investors and too established for microfinance. “Women in Tech goes beyond capital by providing the skills, networks and support women entrepreneurs need to build sustainable businesses,” Mr Sanghrajka said.

Since launching in Kenya in 2017, Women in Tech has supported 107 women-led startups with more than KES 51.5 million in funding, alongside mentorship and network access. Globally, the accelerator operates in 14 Standard Chartered markets across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the United States, and has supported more than 4,000 entrepreneurs.

Kenya has become a regional hub for such programmes, buoyed by a dense mobile-money ecosystem, a relatively mature startup financing scene and government rhetoric around digital-economy job creation. Yet women founders in Africa still attract a small fraction of venture funding, a gap that corporate-backed accelerators increasingly position themselves to narrow.

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