The Standard Chartered Foundation has announced the winners of its Women in Tech Accelerator in Nigeria, with 5 finalists receiving grant funding totalling $50,000.
Winners of the Standard Chartered Foundation Women in Tech Nigeria cycle 7 cohort with Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Acting CEO, Ayodeji Adelagun, EDC Director, team with top 5 winners
Delivered in partnership with Village Capital and local implementing partner Enterprise Development Centre (EDC), Pan-Atlantic University, this year’s impressive cohort consisted of 11 ventures. The winners were announced after five of the most promising businesses competed pitched for the top prize, where they were empowered to present their business growth plan in front a panel of esteemed judges.
Joke Adu, Head, Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing, Standard Chartered, Nigeria said: “At Standard Chartered, we believe that empowering women entrepreneurs is one of the most effective ways to drive inclusive economic growth.
“Since launching the Women in Technology Programme in Nigeria in 2019, we have impacted thousands of women across the country, directly trained more than 70 women through our incubator cohorts and provided seed funding to 35 women-led businesses.
“The achievements of our Cohort 7 winners reaffirm the immense potential that exists when women founders are given access to the right skills, networks, mentorship, and capital. We are proud to support their journeys as they scale innovative solutions that create jobs, strengthen communities and contribute to Nigeria’s economic development.”
Speaking on the significance of the accelerator, Dr. Nneka Okekearu, Director, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University said, “The WIT Cycle 7 programme demonstrates the impact that can be achieved when women entrepreneurs are given access to the right skills, networks, mentorship and opportunities to grow. Over the course of the programme, we have seen women strengthen their businesses, deepen their use of technology, build valuable connections and gain the confidence to pursue new opportunities.
“This cohort reflects the talent and potential of African women to drive innovation, create jobs and contribute meaningfully to economic growth. We are proud to have supported their growth and remain committed to creating platforms that equip women entrepreneurs with the knowledge, confidence and connections they need to build sustainable businesses and create lasting impact in their communities and beyond.”
The winning ventures span diverse sectors including healthcare and event management to accessibility technology, trade, and digital education, with each startup receiving $10,000 in funding to help them scale their business.
The Winners are:
Jennifer Esiaba, Founder/CEO, Mariam Grey Pharmacy
Picture Showing the Acting CEO, Standard Chartered Bank, Ayodeji Adelagun presenting a cheque to the winner, Jennifer Esiaba
Jennifer Esiaba founded Mariam Grey Pharmacy, an AI-powered telepharmacy providing accessible medication, pharmacist consultations and chronic care support through smartphones, basic phones and USSD across Nigeria.
Christine Imoukhuede, Founder/CEO, Ahavaplan
Picture Showing the Acting CEO, Standard Chartered Bank, Ayodeji Adelagun presents cheque to winner, Christine Imoukhuede
Christine Imoukhuede founded Ahavaplan, an AI-powered CRM platform helping event planners manage clients, events, communications and business operations in one place.
Toyosi Badejo-Okusanya, Founder/CEO, Adaptive Atelier
Picture Showing the Acting CEO, Standard Chartered Bank, Ayodeji Adelagun presents cheque to winner, Toyosi Badejo-Okusanya
Toyosi Badejo-Okusanya founded Adaptive Atelier, an accessibility technology company helping businesses create inclusive digital experiences through AI-powered solutions, accessibility auditing and a marketplace of disabled professionals.
Fara Popoola, Founder/CEO, Proc360
Picture showing the Acting CEO, Standard Chartered Bank, Ayodeji Adelagun presents cheque to winner, Fara Popoola
Fara Popoola founded Proc360, a platform helping African SMEs trade with greater confidence through supplier verification, quality control and secure payments.
Adejoke Haastrup, Founder/CEO, Kidsthatcode
Picture Showing the Acting CEO, Standard Chartered Bank, Ayodeji Adelagun presents cheque to winner, Adejoke Haastrup
Adejoke Haastrup founded Kidsthatcode, an edtech platform equipping children and teens across Africa with coding and digital skills through classes, mentorship, hackathons and project-based learning.
This year’s Women in Tech Accelerator cohort are now part of a growing global alumni comprising women entrepreneurs, offering peer- to-peer support on an ongoing basis. In some countries, alumni have the opportunity to access catalytic funding at rates that are lower than commercial levels, helping them establish a credit history and putting them in a stronger position to access commercial lending in the future.
The Women in Tech Accelerator programme aims to empower women-led, tech-enabled startups to scale and create positive impact in their communities. Participants receive investment-readiness training, personalised development plans, and expert mentorship, working with advisors and industry leaders to strengthen their business models and access networking opportunities.
The programme has been running in Nigeria through funding from the Foundation and Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria since 2020. Globally, it is active in 14 of Standard Chartered’s markets covering Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the US. To date, Women in Tech has helped over 4,000 entrepreneurs.
