Standard Chartered Pakistan Women in Tech Accelerator Welcomes 2025 Cohort

Standard Chartered Pakistan’s Women in Tech Accelerator Programme funded by Standard Chartered Foundation has announced this year’s finalists. The programme run in collaboration with Village Capital and INNOVentures Global has selected 10 exceptional startups out of a cohort of 30 who underwent a five-day business acceleration bootcamp.

These ventures span diverse sectors including women empowerment, mental health, edtech, health and wellness, climate innovations and circular fashion. Each startup will receive funding of PKR 1 million to validate their scaling plan.

Over the next eight weeks each founder will work intensively to validate, strengthen, and scale her business idea through tailored mentorship, structured programming, and strategic support. With access to the validation grant, these startups will refine their models, test market assumptions, and position themselves for growth. Through a mindful and accountable use of funds they will demonstrate their ability to scale as well as good financial practices.

Raeda Latif, Head – Corporate Affairs Brand & Marketing, Standard Chartered Pakistan commented,

“The Women in Tech Accelerator Programme is multifaceted, supporting women entrepreneurs not just with funding but with mentorship, structured guidance, and the tools that they need to scale their businesses with confidence. Together, we are creating an ecosystem where women-led ventures can drive meaningful economic impact across Pakistan. The programme continues to stand as a beacon of what is possible when women entrepreneurs are given not just a platform but the capital, confidence, and community to succeed.”

Meet the 10 Finalists 

Atfaal – Erum Sheheryar: Atfaal is a children clothing brand that empowers underprivileged women through skills training, access to dignified work and sustainable textile production. Atfaal upcycles factory waste into affordable children’s clothing and offers both home-based and factory jobs and bridges the gap between training and real income to drive women’s empowerment and environmental responsibility.

AZ CO – Asra Amin: Pakistan’s first women-centered coworking movement provides safe and inclusive workspaces with mentorship, wellness, and daycare facilities. AZ CO seeks to scale by creating a hybrid platform with AI mentor matching, grievance tools, and virtual coworking to build a 10,000+ strong women’s community.

BizB – Sehrish Raza: BizB is a purpose-built re-commerce marketplace for preloved fashion, tackling overconsumption, landfill waste, and limited economic participation for women. Through the SC Women in Tech Accelerator BizB will focus on revenue growth, mainstreaming resale, and empowering women as micro-entrepreneurs.

Calcix International – Noor Riaz & Fizza Munir: A green materials startup that produces biodegradable limestone-based pellets to replace plastics. It seeks to scale by establishing pilots with manufacturers to position Pakistan as a leader in sustainable materials.

Dakhlay – Sheharbano Zuhair: Dakhlay is Pakistan’s first end-to-end digital admissions platform simplifying and centralising university and college applications. The SC funded project shall focus on guiding students through personalised university matching, deadline management, financial aid support, and expert mentorship to make higher education more accessible and equitable.

Digital Superwomen – Nida S. Fahad & Tooba Syed: Driven by Pakistan’s 70,000-strong Superwomen online community DSW seeks to reshape women’s entry into the digital economy through AI-powered cohort-based training, mentorship, and career linkages, with a vision to build South Asia’s largest women-focused digital upskilling ecosystem.

FitHER – Dr. Shaista Khalid: A personalised, accessible, and affordable women-first health and wellness ecosystem that addresses unique physiology and life stages through expert-led guidance, tailored plans, and supportive tools ensuring women are no longer ignored or underserved in their health journeys.

Ootein – Maria Ameer: Ootein is Pakistan’s first certified allergen-free food brand, producing safe, affordable staples in a 100% contamination-free facility. By aiming to integrate automated machinery, Ootein is eyeing scale through production with precision and consistency making allergen-free nutrition accessible to children and patients nationwide, filling a critical health gap.

Soch Matters – Hiba Khan: Soch Matters is a digital mental health and career counselling platform connecting users with verified experts in counselling, therapy, and career guidance. The SC funded project focuses on providing accessible, confidential, and structured support through one-on-one sessions, guided programs, and expert-curated resources to make professional guidance and mental health care equitable and stigma-free.

Yumkis Foods – Hira Mubeen: Yumkins offers additive-free, nutrient-dense cereals for infants and toddlers, bridging the nutrition and trust gap in Pakistan’s baby food market. The SC funded project focuses on providing age-appropriate, affordable, and safe meals with clear guidance, reliable availability, and caregiver education to improve early childhood nutrition outcomes.

Also Read: Standard Chartered Pakistan launches 7th cohort of its flagship Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator