Dubai, UAE: Standard Chartered’s fifth cohort of the Women in Tech accelerator programme, launched in partnership with DIFC Innovation Hub, has awarded a total of USD 100,000 in equity-free seed capital to the top three female-led tech startups in the UAE.

The first-place winner, Nour Taher, Co-founder and CEO at Intella, whose company bridges the gap between global AI advancements and the Arabic speaking world by building and fine-tuning machine learning models for dialectal Arabic, received USD50,000; second-place winner, Lara Hussein, Co-founder and CEO at The Waste Lab, which specialises in nature-based composting, secured USD30,000; and the third-place winner, Dr. Anushka Patchava, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Wellx, a hyper personalised digital insurance solution combining health, wellness and prevention to reduce claim cost and increase population health, was awarded USD20,000.

Rola Abu Manneh, Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered, UAE, said: “At Standard Chartered, we firmly believe that a diverse and inclusive economy is the cornerstone of progress. It is with this conviction that we launched the Women in Tech accelerator programme, which aims to champion the innovative spirit of women and increase their participation in the sector. This initiative embodies our unwavering commitment to cultivating an inclusive and innovative economy and lays the foundation for a future in which women play a pivotal role in shaping the technological landscape. These remarkable female-led start-ups, we support, exemplify the limitless potential of women in the sector, and we are thrilled to be part of their journey towards success.”

Mohammad Alblooshi, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Innovation Hub, added: "Congratulations to the winners and all the outstanding participants of the Women in Tech programme in partnership with Standard Chartered. The Bank’s programme strongly aligns with our mission at DIFC Innovation Hub to drive economic growth through innovation, enterprise, and talent development, particularly in forward-looking industries. We wish all founders of the 2023 cohort every success as they continue to innovate, evolve and grow alongside DIFC’s community of over 800 dynamic FinTech and Innovation firms.”

Launched in July this year, Standard Chartered’s Women in Tech accelerator programme is designed to drive sustainable growth and empower women entrepreneurs in the UAE’s technology sector, fostering innovation, diversity, and economic development. The programme provides unparalleled support, mentorship, and access to seed capital to propel the success of women-led start-ups.

During the concluding Demo Day event, 11 female-led entrepreneurial teams showcased their innovative business models to a distinguished panel of potential investors, industry experts, and thought leaders. The shortlist of the fifth cohort included Tekeya, Savii, Sav, Wellx, Play:Date, Mamahood, Hoopla, Monak e-services, The Waste Lab, EcoCentric, and Intella.

The entrepreneurs embarked on a 7 week transformative journey and benefited from a comprehensive curriculum featuring tailored training, immersive workshops, and invaluable mentorship opportunities designed to address their specific needs.

Standard Chartered’s Women in Tech programme is geared towards empowering female entrepreneurs to confront the challenges as they grow their impact-driven businesses across the region. To date, Standard Chartered UAE has accelerated four cohorts, comprising of more than 20 start-ups, who have collectively raised over USD5 mn from various venture capitalists to expand their businesses within and outside of the UAE. The campaign is part of a global Women in Tech initiative, and the programme operates successfully in nine countries, creating a powerful global network of empowered women in the tech space.

-Ends-

  • Tekeya is a unique platform that unites efforts by consumers, restaurants and businesses to battle food waste by saving surplus food, increase awareness for food production and consumption, while combatting climate change by reducing the emission of carbon dioxide.
  • Savii is a community-first FinTech company, providing teens and young adults with financial tools that meet their banking needs and teaches them how to earn, spend, save and invest responsibly.
  • Sav is a goal-based savings app that offers rewards at every stage. Sav aims to make personal finance effortless, relevant and rewarding for millions of young families in the GCC, who constantly struggle to be in complete control of their saving and spending.
  • Wellx is a hyper personalised digital insurance solution combining health, wellness and prevention to reduce claim cost and increase population health.
  • Play:Date is an interactive platform where parents can help build their child’s social circle and avail discounts and deals in the process.
  • Mamahood is a health advisory mobile application operating within the MENA region providing women with professional guidance and community engagement through fertility, pregnancy, and motherhood.
  • Hoopla is an app addressing the lack of accessible and engaging tools for into daily lives, specifically for families with children aged 3-8 years. It aims to foster emotional resilience without contributing to screen addiction and facilitates connection rather than isolation within families.
  • Monak provides three main e-services: banking, healthcare and insurance and other life services that are designed to address some of the key challenges faced by individuals in the MENA region.
  • The Waste Lab specialises in nature-based composting of food scraps and leftovers, customizing services to meet the unique needs of various establishments, including cloud kitchens, hotels, restaurants, households, canteens, schools, and universities. Their mission is to turn every food scrap into an opportunity that benefits our local soil, farms, food production, and job creation.
  • Ecocentric is an online platform that empowers conscious and sustainable living while ordering food online through reusable food packaging.
  • Intella bridges the gap between global AI advancements and the Arabic speaking world by building and fine-tuning machine learning models for dialectal Arabic.

About Dubai International Financial Centre

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is one of the world’s most advanced financial centres, and the leading financial hub for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), which comprises 72 countries with an approximate population of 3 bn and an estimated GDP of USD 8 trn.

With a close to 20-year track record of facilitating trade and investment flows across the MEASA region, the Centre connects these fast-growing markets with the economies of Asia, Europe and the Americas through Dubai. 

DIFC is home to an internationally recognised, independent regulator and a proven judicial system with an English common law framework, as well as the region’s largest financial ecosystem of over 36,000 professionals working across over 4,300 active registered companies – making up the largest and most diverse pool of industry talent in the region. 

The Centre’s vision is to drive the future of finance through cutting-edge technology, innovation, and partnerships. Today, it is the global future of finance and innovation hub offering one of the region’s most comprehensive FinTech and venture capital environments, including cost-effective licensing solutions, fit-for-purpose regulation, innovative accelerator programmes, and funding for growth-stage start-ups.  

Comprising a variety of world-renowned retail and dining venues, a dynamic art and culture scene, residential apartments, hotels and public spaces, DIFC continues to be one of Dubai’s most sought-after business and lifestyle destinations. 

For further information, please visit our website: difc.ae, or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @DIFC. 

For media enquiries, please contact:   

Omar Nasro
ASDA’A BCW 
omar.nasro@bcw-global.com  

Rasha Mezher | Dubai International Financial Centre Authority  
Consultant, Marketing & Corporate Communications
t-rasha.mezher@difc.ae

Standard Chartered

We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 57 of the world’s most dynamic markets and serving clients in a further 64. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good.

Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges.

For further information please contact:

  • Khaled Abdulla
  • Director, Head of Communications
  • Corporate Affairs, Brand & Marketing
  • Standard Chartered
  • Dubai, UAE
  • E-mail: Khaled.abdulla@sc.com