The programme, implemented in partnership with Village Capital, will provide women entrepreneurs with essential skills, funding, and access to networks to help them scale their businesses and create long-term impact. This initiative falls under Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, the bank’s global youth economic empowerment programme. With funding from the Standard Chartered Foundation, the accelerator will equip 400 women entrepreneurs with the tools needed to grow microbusinesses, generate employment, and contribute to social and environmental development. Over the next three years, the initiative aims to provide over 32 catalytic grants amounting to nearly $1.9 million and support the creation of more than 1,200 jobs. Botswana is amongst the 12 markets where the programme will continue, alongside Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, and Pakistan. Additionally, it is expanding to two new countries, Uganda and Egypt.
The accelerator will be delivered in collaboration with local expert partners to ensure that participants receive training that aligns with their specific business environments. Standard Chartered aims to provide women entrepreneurs with the necessary skills to develop investment-ready businesses whilst offering opportunities to connect with finance providers, industry leaders, and ecosystem partners. Tanuj Kapilashrami, the chief strategy and talent officer at Standard Chartered, said empowering women is essential for economic growth. She said equitable access to funding and resources is crucial in fostering innovation and driving social impact. She added that through the Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator, the aim is to address systemic challenges that women microbusiness owners face, creating pathways for them to scale their businesses and contribute to their communities.
