Stanchart supports 5 women-led starts-ups with GH¢550,000

Five women-led start-ups have received seed funding of GH¢110,000 each under Standard Chartered Bank Ghana PLC’s Women in Technology Incubator Programme, to scale up their businesses.

They are Natalie Fordwor, Wonderspace website; Lucie E Blay, Legal Find; Naa Kukuokor Owoo, Esse Studios; Umar Farouk Mubaraka, Kodu Technology, and Laura Pepera, Virtutoronline.

In addition to the seed funding, the businesses will receive portfolio management support over the next 10 weeks, exposure to potential investors who are looking to support women-led businesses, and would also be joining the global SCWIT alumni network where they will have access to additional networking events, resources, content and business scaling opportunities.

The beneficiaries emerged winners after a rigorous pitch process in a comprehensive incubator programme aimed at empowering women-led start-ups, as well as providing them with the necessary resources and support to thrive.

The programme is implemented in partnership with the Ghana Climate Innovation Centre (GCIC), an Ashesi University business incubator.

Supporting diversity

At the SC Women in Technology graduation ceremony last Thursday, the Consumer Private and Business Banking, Standard Chartered Bank Ghana PLC, Yvonne Gyebi, said, “as a bank we celebrate these incredible women, a powerful testament to the limitless potential of diversity and innovation”.

“With our Women in Tech programme we are championing economic inclusion for female businesses.

We are inspired by their journey of breaking down barriers that truly reflects the world we live in.”

She explained that the Standard Chartered Women in Technology Incubator programme speaks to the bank’s strategy of investing in women-owned businesses to bring greater prosperity and diversity to the communities in which they operate with emphasis on supporting innovation, infrastructure and technology.

She said through such initiatives, women entrepreneurs have a platform to build capacity and realise their full potential in the world of business.

The Executive Director of GCIC, Ruka Sanusi, expressed her profound enthusiasm for the significant strides being made to drive innovation and sustainable solutions in an ever-evolving technological landscape.

She highlighted the pivotal role that collaboration, knowledge exchange and empowerment of women entrepreneurs play in propelling the society towards a greener and more prosperous future.