15 Kenyan Startups Selected to join Women in Tech Cohort 7 Programme
Standard Chartered and @iBizAfrica- Strathmore University have announced the latest inductees into their transformative ‘Women In Tech’ programme.
This year’s Standard Chartered Women In Tech programme aims will bring together female entrepreneurs who are leveraging technology to spearhead sustainable startups that generate impact. In line with this objective, the aim for this year’s cohort is to enable these startups to adhere to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices, providing the startups with the opportunity to advance Kenyan and global initiatives.
“These start-ups exemplify the innovative spirit and resilience of women entrepreneurs in Kenya. We are committed to providing them with the resources and mentorship they need to scale their businesses and create sustainable impact for Kenya,” said Dr. Joseph Sevilla, Director of iBizAfrica, Strathmore University.
The fifteen startups become the seventh group of Kenyan-owned, female-led businesses that will undergo 12 weeks of business incubation training. Following the training, seven of the companies will each receive KES 1.2 in funding to grow their businesses.
This year’s theme, “Empowering Women for a Sustainable Future”, will focus on startups that have created technology-based sustainable solutions, that demonstrate an understanding of ESG practices as well as a commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.
The shortlisting criteria required the selected teams to demonstrate capacity in execution, showcasing their potential to solve socio-economic challenges in Kenya. They also had to ensure they had a balanced skill set (team lead, business development, product development, and marketing) to complement the creative use of technologies.
“Kenya’s advanced use of technologies means that it is in an ideal position to apply creative interventions to global climate issues. We are very confident that the businesses that we shall be incubating shall power the future of business in Kenya and beyond,” said Joyce Kibe, Head, Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing, Kenya and Africa, Standard Chartered.
The business incubation training has been modeled around emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data, while additionally integrating the fundamentals of business idea conceptualization, strategy, formulation, and marketing, which will be key in moving businesses from incubation to sustainable ventures.
The Women in Tech Incubator Programme is committed to being digital by design and supporting female entrepreneurs with technology to grow their businesses.
The 15 enterprises that will be starting the 12 weeks of mentorship @iBizAfrica the Women in Tech 2024 include:
Since inception, the Women in Tech programme has attracted over 2,250 applications. It has trained 64 women-led startups leveraging technology by offering mentorship, business advisory, coaching, networking opportunities, access to seed capital, and investor forums that help mold their businesses to international standards. Thirty-two of the women-led enterprises have been awarded over KES 40 million in seed funding over the last six cohorts.