Standard Chartered Foundation Launches Women in Tech Accelerator in Egypt

Standard Chartered Foundation has launched the second edition of its Women in Tech Accelerator in Egypt, partnering with entrepreneurship platform Entlaq and impact investor Village Capital. The 2026 programme will select 12 women-led, technology-enabled startups for an accelerator focused on business development, mentorship, investment readiness and access to entrepreneurial networks, and will run from September through December 2026. Three participating startups will receive equity-free grants drawn from a combined pool of US$35,000 at the end of the programme.

"Women-led technology businesses have an important role in Egypt's innovation economy," said Mohamed Gad, CEO and Head of Coverage at Standard Chartered Egypt. "The programme will give founders access to skills and networks that can help them strengthen their businesses and prepare for expansion."

The initiative targets startups that have demonstrated market validation and are preparing to scale. Entlaq will deliver the local programme, providing specialised training and mentorship intended to help founders strengthen business models, refine growth strategies and improve readiness to engage with investors. Village Capital will bring its global experience and network to the cohort.

• Selection and funding: 12 startups will be chosen for the cohort; three will receive equity-free grants from a US$35,000 pool.
• Timing: The accelerator runs from September to December 2026 and culminates in a Demo Day for founders to present progress and investor-ready pitches.
• Partners: Standard Chartered Foundation, Entlaq (local delivery), and Village Capital (impact investor and network support).

The 2026 programme builds on a first Egyptian cohort that attracted 240 applications and supported 11 startups through more than 35 training sessions alongside over 40 mentorship sessions and roundtables. Village Capital reported that businesses supported through the 2025 cohort collectively reached almost 16,000 new customers, created more than 430 jobs and generated an additional US$2.7 million in revenue.

"Village Capital will support the new cohort through its wider network and experience helping early-stage businesses improve access to financial and social capital," said Yazmin Jumaali, Senior Programme Manager at Village Capital.

Organisers say the accelerator responds to persistent structural barriers faced by women entrepreneurs in Egypt. Entlaq pointed to findings from its Women in Entrepreneurship Report 2025, which estimated a US$2.2 billion funding gap for women-led startups and highlighted limited access to specialised mentorship and professional networks. "The accelerator aims to turn those findings into practical support that helps women founders build competitive, scalable and investment-ready businesses," said Aya Ismail, Entlaq Co-Founder and Programmes Director.

The Egypt programme is part of the broader Standard Chartered Women in Tech initiative, which the bank says has supported more than 4,000 women across 17 markets since its establishment. This year, Standard Chartered allocated more than US$600,000 in grant funding to entrepreneurs across 12 markets.

Applications are currently open to eligible women startup founders based in Egypt. With an increased emphasis on business development and investment readiness for 2026, organisers expect the cohort to progress toward demonstrable scaling outcomes and improved investor engagement by Demo Day in December.