Five Nigerian Women Entrepreneurs Win $50,000 Through Standard Chartered Foundation’s Women in Tech Accelerator

The Standard Chartered Foundation has announced the winners of its Women in Tech Accelerator in Nigeria, with five finalists receiving grant funding totalling $50,000.

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 and pitched for the top prize, where they were empowered to present their business growth plans in front of 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, 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, 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

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

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

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

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

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 community comprising women entrepreneurs and 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.

About Standard Chartered Foundation

The Standard Chartered Foundation is a charitable organisation established by Standard Chartered in 2019. It is committed to helping tackle inequality by empowering under-served young people, especially women and people with disabilities. It sets the strategy for — and funds — youth employability and entrepreneurship programmes across Standard Chartered’s markets, helping young people access the skills, networks and support they need to secure quality work and grow their businesses. The Standard Chartered Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales (charity number 1184946). See the website for more information: Standard Chartered Foundation.

About Standard Chartered

Standard Chartered is a leading international banking group, with a presence in 54 of the world’s most dynamic markets. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good. Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges. For more stories and expert opinions, please visit Insights at www.sc.com.

About Enterprise Development Centre

Enterprise Development Centre (EDC), Pan-Atlantic University, is a leading enterprise development and capacity-building centre focused on empowering entrepreneurs and small businesses across Nigeria and Africa. Established in 2003, EDC provides business education, accelerator programmes, advisory services, research and ecosystem-building initiatives that help entrepreneurs build sustainable and scalable businesses.

Through partnerships with leading local and global organisations, EDC has supported hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs, with a strong focus on youth, women and underserved communities. EDC is committed to building an enabling ecosystem where entrepreneurs can access the knowledge, networks, tools and opportunities they need to thrive. Learn more at www.edc.edu.ng.

About Village Capital

Village Capital is reinventing the system to back the entrepreneurs of the future. Known for its groundbreaking approaches to supporting founders who are building solutions to emergent environmental, social, and economic challenges, VilCap unlocks critical social and financial capital for early-stage startups to maximise business and impact growth.

Since 2009, Village Capital has supported close to 1,800 startups that have raised USD 7.7B in investment capital. It has made 116 investments through its various affiliated funds, including VilCap Investments, which has invested in 91 peer-selected companies. Additionally, more than 25,500 members actively engage on Abaca, their web app that equips entrepreneurs, ESOs, and capital providers with tools for learning about, assessing suitability, and expanding access to financial capital. Its latest feature, Capital Explorer, helps founders identify the most appropriate funding options for their businesses. Learn more at www.vilcap.com.