Dubai – Sharikat Mubasher: The Standard Chartered Foundation, in partnership with Village Capital, together launched the eighth edition of the 'Women in Tech Accelerator' in the United Arab Emirates, continuing its efforts to back women-led, tech-enabled startups at a key stage of growth.

As per a recent press release, this year's edition will provide participating founders with investment readiness training, catalytic funding, and access to international networks to help scale their ventures. In the UAE, the accelerator will be delivered by C3 – Companies Creating Change, a B Corp-certified consultancy focused on entrepreneurship and ecosystem development.

Rola Abu Manneh, Chief Executive Officer for the UAE, Middle East, and Pakistan at Standard Chartered, said the initiative aligns with the UAE’s broader economic agenda focused on innovation and diversification, noting that women entrepreneurs play an increasingly important role in building scalable businesses and driving sustainable growth.

Since launching in the UAE, the accelerator has supported 61 women-led startups. Program results from 2025 showed that 92 percent of participants developed business growth plans, while 83 percent reported improved performance. Alumni include Biosapien, which raised USD 7 million in pre-Series A funding, and Ostaz, later acquired by Inspired Education Group.

Applications for the 2026 cohort are open until 15 May, with selected founders participating in the accelerator between June and October. The UAE cohort will compete for equity-free cash prizes totaling USD 150,000 at Demo Day.