The Standard Chartered Foundation 2^nd Edition continues its commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs across the region. Through this programme, we aim to:

• Support women in growing and scaling their businesses
• Build connections within the entrepreneurial ecosystem
• Provide access to expert mentorship
• Unlock funding opportunities for innovative ventures

What is the selection criteria?

• Have a gender-diverse team with at least one female co-founder
• Have an early-stage startup operational for one year with at least a Minimum Viable Product (Seed-stage and pre-series A startups)
• Demonstrate that the solution is innovative and scalable
• Demonstrate the technology’s sustainable impact (environmental, social or economic)
• Be registered and operating in Egypt and be available for the duration of programme activities and events (taking place both in-person and online)

What is in it for you?

• Up to USD 35,000 in equity-free funding from Standard Chartered Foundation
• Opportunity to access the global networks of Standard Chartered
• Tailored workshops designed to help you scale with confidence
• Expert support across key areas from business strategy to impactful governance

What our past cohorts say

“Participating in the programme has been a valuable experience for both my business and my entrepreneurial journey. It opened the door to meaningful networking opportunities with inspiring women entrepreneurs and industry experts while providing practical knowledge that I can apply to grow my business. One of the biggest takeaways for me was expanding my professional network and gaining new perspectives on scaling a business and building strategic collaborations. I would definitely recommend this programme to other women entrepreneurs because it creates a supportive community, offers valuable learning opportunities, and helps build connections that can lead to future partnerships and growth.”

Marwa Al Shamy, Founder & CEO of Smart Content

“When I joined the Women in Tech program, I was building Learning Rockets (Bee Degree) from Assiut — around 400 km from the capital. I left a stable banking career to build it, because as a mother I kept seeing the gap between what our children actually need and what schools can give them, and I couldn’t look away. This was the first program I ever joined from outside Upper Egypt, and that alone meant a lot to me, the distance that had always felt like a wall suddenly became a starting line. It brought me into a network I genuinely loved and opened doors to so much of what came after: being chosen among Visa’s top 9 women founders out of 2,600, and growing Learning Rockets past 50,000 children. It also changed how I think, I used to believe being the highest quality was enough, and this program taught me that a real business is marketing, growth, and every other piece I used to overlook. To any woman with an idea, especially one building far from the “center” like I was, I’d tell her: apply, it doesn’t just teach you, it reminds you that where you start doesn’t decide how far you can go.”

Mariam R. Soliman, Co-founder & CEO of Learning Rockets LLC

Join a community dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs and supporting the growth of their businesses across the region.