Having successfully implemented two Cohorts of the Standard Chartered Women in Tech Incubator (SCWIT) Programme, the Bank in collaboration with the Ghana Climate Innovation Centre, an Ashesi University business incubator, last week, announced the third cohort of the Women in Tech Incubator (WIT) Programme
Launched in Ghana in 2020, the Women in Tech Incubator programme is specifically designed for women-led or women-owned businesses that are applying technological innovation to their operations, or women owned tech start-ups.
The SC Women in Tech Ghana Cohort 3 programme will focus on 20 shortlisted female-led businesses. The female business owners will take part in an incubator, where they will have access to subject matter experts.
These experts will work with the help the businesses scale up and equip them with the necessary skills to thrive in today’s business environment. Upon completion of the training and workshops, the 20 shortlisted businesses will pitch their ideas/concepts and business plans to a panel of judges who will select the top five winners.
They will each receive seed funding of US$10,000 (GHS equivalent) from Standard Chartered Bank Ghana PLC. Additionally, these selected businesses will benefit from GCIC’s high value Mini MBA and the Women Entrepreneurs Transformation Programs, as well as mentoring and access to a wider network of other companies for these entrepreneurs.
Commenting on the announcement, Mansa Nettey, Chief Executive, Standard Chartered Bank Ghana PLC said: ““Standard Chartered is committed to gender equity. The objective of the SC Women in Technology Incubator (SCWIT) programme is to help women-led entrepreneurs use technology to grow their businesses. The programme brings to life the Bank’s sustainability aspirations to help bridge the gender digital divide. We are driven by our ambition to lift participation and unleash the potential of women and small businesses in our communities.”
Dramani Bukari, Director – Partnerships, Entrepreneurship and Investments, Ghana Climate Innovation Centre expressed pride in the third edition of the programme and said: “Women entrepreneurs in Ghana have the potential to make an enormous impact. Our goal with this programme is to help them realize their vision, aligned with the country’s broader economic goals and Vision 2030.
Collaborating with Standard Chartered to build the insights and skills and resilience needed by female entrepreneurs to thrive in the technology sector is a huge privilege and responsibility and ties into the core principles and mandate of the GCIC. We are committed to building the tenets upon which women entrepreneurs can enjoy mindset optimization, vision clarity and tried and tested structure that aligns with the operations of their business and their overall personal aspirations.”
