Reshaping the landscape of entrepreneurship in Egypt, Standard Chartered, in partnership with the AUC Venture Lab and Village Capital, has officially launched the Futuremakers Women in Tech accelerator—a flagship program dedicated to empowering women-led, tech-enabled startups.
Unveiled today in Cairo, the initiative is part of Standard Chartered’s global Futuremakers program, funded by the Standard Chartered Foundation, and marks its debut in the Egyptian market. Designed to address persistent gender disparities in the startup ecosystem, the accelerator delivers a robust, three-month program tailored to the unique needs of women founders operating in the digital and tech-driven economy.
“This launch represents more than just a program—it’s a commitment to inclusion, innovation, and sustainable economic growth,” said Mohamed Gad, CEO and Head of Banking & Coverage, Standard Chartered Egypt. “Women entrepreneurs are pivotal to shaping Egypt’s future, and through Futuremakers, we’re investing in that potential.”
Over the next three years, the initiative aims to support a growing pipeline of women-led startups by offering a comprehensive suite of resources: from advanced entrepreneurship training and individualized mentorship to investment readiness support and international networking opportunities. Each participating venture will also have the opportunity to compete for up to $10,000 in equity-free funding, a strategic boost to help scale operations without diluting ownership.
The accelerator is hosted by the AUC Venture Lab, widely recognized as one of the MENA region’s leading university-based startup incubators, and supported by Village Capital, a global leader in inclusive entrepreneurship. Together, the three organizations bring a formidable combination of academic rigor, international market expertise, and investment acumen.
“Since 2013, we’ve been at the forefront of building Egypt’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” noted Dr. Ayman Ismail, Founding Director of AUC Venture Lab and Abdul Latif Jameel Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship. “This collaboration takes our efforts to a new level, unlocking opportunity for a new generation of women entrepreneurs to lead the charge in tech innovation.”
The launch event brought together high-profile figures from across finance, academia, and the startup ecosystem. Keynote speakers included Rola Abu Manneh, CEO for Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan at Standard Chartered, and Dr. Sherif Kamel, Dean of the AUC’s School of Business. A compelling panel discussion moderated by Ahmed Fadl, Senior Program Manager at Village Capital, delved into the opportunities and obstacles facing female founders in the region. Panelists included Dr. Azza El Shinnawy, Co-founder and CEO of PortfolioTECH, and Farah Emara, founder of Fresh Source—both exemplars of the kind of entrepreneurial leadership the program aims to foster.
The significance of the initiative extends far beyond Egypt’s borders. Futuremakers Women in Tech is already active in more than a dozen emerging markets including Nigeria, Pakistan, Kenya, the UAE, and South Africa. To date, the program has supported over 4,000 women entrepreneurs in 17 countries, many of whom have gone on to build scalable, investment-ready ventures that contribute meaningfully to their local economies.
“What sets this program apart is its commitment to accessibility and impact,” said Fadl. “We’re not just investing in businesses—we’re investing in women who will shape the future of their communities.”
Egypt, with its fast-growing digital economy and vibrant startup scene, is uniquely positioned to benefit from this kind of intervention. Yet the country continues to face significant gender imbalances in access to capital and business support. According to recent studies, women-led startups receive less than 5% of total venture funding in the MENA region—a gap programs like Futuremakers Women in Tech are designed to close.
As the first cohort of women founders embarks on their journey, the program’s success will be measured not only by the businesses it accelerates, but by the broader shift it catalyzes in the region’s perception of women in innovation.
