Nura Kemis 
The 7 Winners of the Standard Chartered Futuremakers, 8th Cohort of the Women in Tech Program
Standard Chartered Kenya empowers 7 Women Entrepreneurs with KES 9.1 million in 8th Women in Tech Cohort Graduation;
- Seven women-led Kenyan enterprises have collectively been awarded KES 9.1 million through the Women in Tech Programme.;
Standard Chartered Kenya, in partnership with @iBizAfrica – Strathmore University, celebrated the graduation of Cohort 8 of the Women in Tech (WiT) Accelerator Programme, awarding KES 9.1 million in seed funding, KES 1.3 million each, to seven outstanding women-led enterprises developing high-impact, tech-enabled solutions for Kenya and beyond.
In its eighth year, the programme aims to empower women-led and women-owned enterprises with tools, training and funding needed to leverage technology and build scalable, innovative businesses that address Kenya’s pressing economic and environmental challenges for sustainable growth and social impact.
According to a World Bank study, Women-owned businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa contribute up to 13% of Gross Domestic Product [GDP] and generate 23% less revenue than male-owned firms, highlighting a KES 41 trillion [$316 billion] opportunity, if the gap closes and with further digital adoption.
Standard Chartered Kenya Board Director Nivi Sharma said: “Every woman graduating today represents resilience, vision and the power of possibility.
It is an honour to celebrate innovators who are breaking barriers and creating impact in their communities. Through the Women in Tech Programme, Standard Chartered continues to invest intentionally in women because we know that when women lead, innovation becomes more inclusive, sustainable and far-reaching.
These graduates are setting the pace for Kenya’s future.”
The eighth cohort, launched in July 2025, received 84 applications from women-led enterprises across Kenya, with fifteen selected for a 12-week business accelerator programme focused on sustainability, ESG integration, financial and business modelling and product development.
Funding recipients were chosen through a thorough judging process by industry experts, seasoned entrepreneurs and academic leaders, who assessed innovation, market opportunity and social impact, equipping participants to build scalable, impact-driven businesses.
Speaking during the event, Dr. Vincent Ogutu, Vice-Chancellor of Strathmore University reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to shaping ethical, future-ready African innovators:
“These women are reimagining industries and rewriting the story of African innovation. Their courage, creativity and commitment to impact reflect the very essence of Strathmore University’s mission to develop leaders who transform society.
When women rise in technology, entire communities rise with them.”
The 15 startups in this cohort represent Kenya’s most dynamic sectors including education, health technology, community care, sustainability, food innovation and creative industries.
Their solutions respond directly to Kenya’s evolving social and economic needs, with technology as a central enabler.
The seven awarded women-led startups demonstrated excellence based on top three criteria; solution innovation, availability of market opportunity and social impact in Kenya, among others.
The 7 winners of this year’s cohort 8 Programme are;
- Etiba East Africa– Provides in-home medical and wellness services for patients needing personaliSed, convenient health support.
- UzimaNexus– A digital operating system improving healthcare transparency, access, and efficiency for patients and providers.
- Pollen Patrollers– Builds smart hive-monitoring technology to help beekeepers reduce colony loss and improve bee health.
- Tuwe Bora– A sustainable textile brand producing handcrafted clothing, training tailors, and recycling textile waste.
- Busu Skincare– Develops natural, community-powered African skincare products using locally sourced ingredients.
- Timao Group– Converts plastic waste into affordable, eco-friendly building materials for sustainable construction.
- AshaCare– Provides tailored community healthcare solutions to improve access, quality, and delivery of care.
Programme impact since 2017: The programme has received over 1,621 applicants, successfully supporting 8 cohorts [93 women-led ventures] with 46 businesses receiving a total of KES 50.6 million [USD460,000] in funding.
These startups have also benefitted from non-financial expertise including mentorship, business advisory, coaching, networking and investor opportunities.
Standard Chartered data shows that WIT alumni have gone on to create on average three new jobs per businesses, creating a total of 280 jobs. Bena Care Ltd, an outstanding WIT alumnus that offers affordable home-based nursing care and in-home therapy for patients in need of long-term care, has gone on to generate over KES 2.47billion in annual revenue.
