Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria, in partnership with Village Capital and the Enterprise Development Centre, has announced the top 10 finalists for Cohort 6 of its Futuremakers Women in Technology Incubator programme.
The initiative supports innovation-led, women-owned businesses in Nigeria, driving social and economic advancement through entrepreneurship.
This announcement, which was made on Friday, includes the following shortlisted candidates: Lilian Dike (Spice Social Ltd), Eunice Olopade (Testbloq), Chinwendu Nweke (Bridge Merchant Enterprise), Linda Ekewogu (Tradetracka), Olapeju Nwanganga (Plotous Page Limited), Kemi Olakunle (HealthVest), Blessing Aniefiok (Dynalimb Technologies), Esther Eruchie (FriendnPal), Sarah Andino (Talktu), Omobosola Karimat (Hafrikplay), Omolara Olarerin (Pocketfood), and Benice Jehwe (Mimshack Anointed Int. Ltd.).
Benefits for finalists
After completing a 12-week executive bootcamp, the finalists will have the opportunity to pitch to investors, receive business mentorship, and receive expert-led entrepreneurial training.
Each of the five selected winners will get equity-free grants of up to $10,000 to expand their solutions.
Joke Adu, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing, Nigeria, stated, “We are pleased to continue empowering female entrepreneurs in Nigeria through the Futuremakers Women in Tech Incubator… The support the beneficiaries get will go a long way in ensuring the sustainability of their businesses while creating employment for more women and youths in the country.”
Since its launch in 2019, Nigeria’s Futuremakers Women in Tech Incubator has provided over $250,000 seed funding to 25 winners.
Over the next three years, the program hopes to assist more than 360 women entrepreneurs worldwide by awarding more than 32 catalytic grants worth almost $1.9 million.
Other countries
Other markets where the program has been implemented include Bahrain, Zambia, Kenya, and the United Arab Emirates.
The supported ventures represent diverse industries in agriculture, fashion, renewable energy, health, education, and sustainability.
The top five Nigerian winners will be revealed in October 2025. The Futuremakers initiative builds on Standard Chartered’s history of expanding women’s access to entrepreneurial finance, improving their employability, and providing financial and capacity-building support to adolescent girls and women.
In 2014, the bank began its initiative to assist women in technology at the City College of New York in the United States.
Nigeria was the second market in Africa to launch the program, and it is being implemented in collaboration with the Pan-Atlantic University’s Enterprise Development Centre.
Announcement of top 10 finalists for the 2025 Women in Tech Accelerator Program in Zambia
Standard Chartered Zambia announced the top 10 finalists for the 2025 Women in Tech Accelerator Program last Friday.
This is the fifth cohort of this influential program, which continues to support entrepreneurship and innovation among women-led businesses.
In her reflection on the program’s steady advancement since its inception in 2020, Christine Matambo, Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand, and Marketing at Standard Chartered Bank Zambia, highlighted the calibre and worth of the business plans it has generated.
The BongoHive Technology and Innovation Hub’s Executive Director, Lukonga Lindunda, emphasised how the collaboration has inspired similar projects throughout the region and transcended Zambia’s boundaries.
Sonny Zulu, the chief executive officer and managing director of Standard Chartered Bank, reaffirmed the bank’s dedication to helping SMEs, which account for more than 70 per cent of Zambia’s GDP, and expressed pride in being a part of their expansion.
The guest of honour, Hon. Minister Felix Mutati, Zambia’s Minister of Technology & Science, praised the women for using technology to influence Zambia’s future and underlined the government’s ongoing support for women-owned enterprises.
Under BongoHive’s leadership, the Women in Tech Zambia initiative will provide funding to 30 female-led startups between 2025 and 2027 in collaboration with Village Capital and the Standard Chartered Foundation.
Ten thousand dollars in equity-free grants will be given to five ventures annually, along with training, mentorship, and assistance with investment readiness.
The top ten finalists include Susan Chishimba (Corelink Consulting Ltd.), Tsitsi Zulu (Goodleaf Investment Limited), Niza Aritha Zulu (Bio Green Technology), Kapwaya Shingalili Mwinga (Kavena Consultancy Limited), Mulaye Mwendafilumba (Bites and Treats), Mwinji Nakamba (Wastemat Zambia), Zama Mwanza Bbuku (Cherry-Pick Limited), Nomsa Ngoma (Tiyeni Mobility), Zoe Kuyanda (Zoela), and Kapampa Mwape (Kulanda Publishing House).