SC WIN Now & Next Challenge 2026

This competition is for women-owned businesses that we wish to support through SC WIN and beyond-banking solutions on a long-term basis. New as well as existing SC WIN clients can participate in the competition.

These Terms and Conditions are between:

(1) Standard Chartered Bank (India) Limited (“Standard Chartered”); and

(2) each entrant who submits an entry to the SC WIN Now & Next Challenge 2026 (“Competition”) in the manner set out in Clause 3 “Entry Procedure” (the “Entrant”).

By submitting an entry to the Competition, each Entrant agrees to the following terms and conditions.

1. Competition Period
   Each Entrant shall submit their entry during a 6-week competition period, based on the Start and End Dates set out as follows:
   Start Date: 09:00 am IST on 28 April 2026
   End Date: 11:59 pm IST on 12 June 2026

(“Competition Period”).

Standard Chartered reserves the right to amend the Competition Period and such changes will be notified on the Website.

1. Eligibility
   To be eligible for the Competition, Entrants must fulfil the following eligibility criteria: 

• Be incorporated in India with a valid Goods and Services Tax and Permanent Account number;
• Business Vintage >=2 years in business operations from its incorporation date;
• Location: The Entrant’s principal place of business or registered office must be located in one of the following cities: Delhi, Kolkata,  Jaipur , Chandigarh, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Cochin, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Rajkot, Indore, Nagpur, Bhopal, Baroda
• Entrant must satisfy any one of the following conditions:
  • at least 51 per cent owned by woman or women; OR (ii) the business is founded by a woman (i.e. 50 per cent shareholding); OR
  • at least 20 per cent owned by woman or by women; AND (ii) with a woman as CEO, COO, President or Vice President; AND (iii) has a board of directors at least 30 per cent comprised of women, where a board exists;
• Are not employees, advisers, immediate family members, including spouse, parents, siblings and children, retailers, suppliers, associated companies and/or agencies related to Standard Chartered and LIFTwomen Group Pty Ltd (ABN 38 646 518 916) (“LIFTwomen”).

1. Entry Procedure 

• To submit an entry to the Competition, each Entrant will have to visit the Competition web page at https://scwincommunity.com/ (“Website”) which is hosted by LIFTwomen and complete the application questionnaire by providing all mandatory information on the questionnaire, including the business and applicant’s particulars. You may be required to agree to LIFTwomen’s applicable terms and policies, and you agree that LIFTwomen will share the application questionnaire responses with Standard Chartered.

• Entries may only be submitted in accordance with the Entry Procedure and will not be accepted by Standard Chartered in any other form.

• All entries must be received by Standard Chartered during the Competition Period, and shall be deemed to have been received by Standard Chartered upon notification via the Website that the entry has been successfully submitted.

• Entrants which have been shortlisted will be notified via email, with further instructions on how to provide any required additional information and arrange an interview with the selection committee.

• Standard Chartered may deem incomplete and ineligible entries invalid, and may at its discretion, allow the Entrants to rectify deficiencies before expiry of the Competition Period in such manner that renders the application completed.

• Entrants shall be responsible for any and all expenses incurred in relation to entering the Competition. 

1. Selection Process and Judging Criteria 

• Each valid entry will be individually assessed by a panel of judges to be appointed by Standard Chartered based on the quality and merit of the entry.

• Ten (10) winning Entrants (“Finalists”) will be selected by a panel of judges to be appointed by Standard Chartered in accordance with the following criteria:

• Each Entrant must have complied with the Entry Procedure;
• Finalists will be chosen by a program committee based on key factors, including but not limited to innovation, social impact, customer value creation, long-term potential, scalability, financial and business viability, and sustainability;
• Businesses running projects that demonstrate potential for significant growth will be prioritised; and
  • Finalists will be confirmed by Standard Chartered or LIFTwomen through email communications.

• Standard Chartered reserves the right to verify the eligibility of all Entrants, validity of all entries and to disqualify any Entrant at any time.

• If Standard Chartered deems a selected Finalist’s entry invalid, Standard Chartered may request the panel of judges to select another winning entry.

1. Grant Pitch Day 

• On the Grant Pitch Day, which will be held around October 2026, each of the ten (10) Finalists will be given the opportunity to pitch their business and/or project to a panel of judges to be appointed by Standard Chartered. Such panel of judges may include industry experts, investors, and potential partners. 

1. Competition Stages and Prizes 

• The Prize(s) for the Finalists are as follows:

• Standard Chartered reserves the right to give visibility to each Finalist of the Competition through its marketing channels and feature their profiles on its official website, or through its service provider. Standard Chartered will not promote their business/company/products anywhere.
• It is a condition of entry into the Competition that each Finalist:
  • consents to the publication of such information and participates in any media releases which may include photographs of the Finalist(s) by LIFTwomen; and
  • grants Standard Chartered a non-exclusive, sublicensable, royalty-free and fully paid-up licence or sub-licence as they case may be, to use, reproduce and display the Finalist’s trademarks, tradenames, logos which belong to the Finalist or which are being used by the Finalist as licensee, solely for purposes relating to the Competition, including in all advertising, marketing, publicity and promotional activities. The Finalist represents and warrants that the trademarks, tradenames, logos do not infringe the intellectual property rights or any other rights of any third party and that they indemnity Standard Chartered against any third party claims arising from such use. The logos, tradenames, trademark which belong to the finalist will not be used to promote their business/company/products.

1. Further terms and conditions

• Standard Chartered’s decision on all matters relating to or in connection with this Competition, including the award of the Prizes or disqualification of any Entrant, shall be final and binding.
• Standard Chartered may choose to modify, suspend or terminate the Competition at any point in its absolute discretion without giving any reasons.
• Standard Chartered may vary any of these terms and conditions at any time with or without prior notice or reason.
• Standard Chartered , as applicable, may revoke or clawback , up to the cost incurred by the Bank) any Prize(s) which have been issued if it was found that the contestant was not entitled to receive the Prize(s). We may determine such eligibility at its discretion.
• We and the Standard Chartered Group exclusively own all rights, title, interests, logos, and service marks of Standard Chartered. You acknowledge and agree that you have no right to use or reproduce any of them for any purpose without our prior consent.
• If there is any inconsistency between these terms and conditions and any other marketing or promotional materials relating to the Competition, these terms and conditions will apply. In case of any dispute in relation to these terms and conditions, Standard Chartered’s sole decision shall be final and conclusive.
• These terms and conditions represent the entire agreement between Standard Chartered and any Entrant (including any Finalist or Winner) with respect to its subject matter and supersede any prior agreement, understanding or arrangement between Standard Chartered and any Entrant (including any Finalist or Winner), whether oral or in writing.
• Failure or delay by Standard Chartered to enforce any of its rights at any stage does not constitute a waiver of those rights.
• Standard Chartered shall not be liable to any Entrant for, and the Entrant waives, and releases Standard Chartered from, any costs or losses that may be incurred in connection with or from participating in this Competition or accessing, claiming or using any of the Prize(s).
• Governing Law and Jurisdiction: The Entrant agrees these terms and conditions are governed by Indian law. The Entrant agrees the courts of India have exclusive jurisdiction for any proceedings the Entrant commences. The Entrant agrees Standard Chartered may commence proceedings in any jurisdiction (including, but not limited to, the courts of India). To the extent allowed by law, the Entrant agrees you may take concurrent proceedings in any number of jurisdictions. The Entrant agrees any proceedings relating to the validity or interpretation of this clause are governed by Indian law.
• Personal information: Standard Chartered PLC and its affiliates, including Standard Chartered (the “Group”) as well as LIFTwomen collect personal information from all Entrants in order to conduct the Competition and may, for this purpose, use and disclose such information to third parties, including but not limited to agents, contractors, service providers, Prize suppliers and as required, to regulatory authorities. Please see LIFTwomen’s Privacy Policy listed on https://www.liftwomen.com/privacy-policy for more information about how LIFTwomen collects, stores, uses and discloses personal information, including details about overseas disclosure, access, correction, how Entrants can make a privacy-related complaint and LIFTwomen’s complaint-handling process. By providing personal information to LIFTwomen, the Entrant agrees to the collection, use, storage and disclosure of that information as described in this clause and LIFTwomen’s Privacy Policy. LIFTwomen and the Group would not use the personal data of the Entrant for direct marketing that may be provided to the subject Entrant without the Entrant’s consent.