01-07-2025
Standard Chartered and Bahrain FinTech Bay select ten female-led startups for the sixth cohort of Futuremakers Women in Tech Programme
Manama, Bahrain – Standard Chartered, in partnership with Bahrain FinTech Bay, has announced the selection of ten promising female-led startups to join the sixth cohort of the Futuremakers Women in Tech Bahrain programme. This initiative continues to serve as a launchpad for women entrepreneurs driving innovation and impact across key sectors in the Kingdom.
The programme is part of Standard Chartered's global Futuremakers Women in Tech Initiative, and is supported by strategic partners including Tamkeen, the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), United Nations Industrial Development Organization Investment and Technology Promotion Office (UNIDO ITPO Bahrain) and Innovate for Bahrain. The programme is designed to equip Bahraini women with the tools, networks, and knowledge to accelerate their ventures and contribute to a more inclusive tech ecosystem.
Following a competitive application and evaluation process, ten founders were selected based on the strength of their ideas, the potential for market traction, and alignment with innovation and technology enablement goals. The selection event was held at Innovate for Bahrain in the presence of Afnan Al Zayani, Member of the Supreme Council for Women; Bader Sater, CEO, Bahrain FinTech Bay; Noora Al Nusuf, Head of Corporate Affairs and Brand & Marketing, Bahrain, Iraq and Qatar, Standard Chartered; Faisal Alahmed, Senior Officer - Enterprise Programmes, Programmes Partnership Development, Tamkeen; and Ameer Hassan Abubakr, National Investment Promotion Expert, UNIDO ITPO Bahrain. The selected startups span a wide range of industries, including agritech, information technology, e-learning, fintech, marketing automation, and healthtech, among other sectors.
The selected ten startups are: Tamam Technology, Information Technology; Engine, FinTech; TellSaleem, HealthTech; Wajba, Marketplace, Food & Beverage; Nabni, Architecture, Real Estate, and Industrial Engineering; AGRI AI, AgriTech; Voxa, Remote Education, Learning, Training; Sadeed Technology, Retail Technology, SAAS; Goodies, Food & Beverage Marketplace and Planway, Event management.
Over the next eight weeks, these female entrepreneurs will undergo a curated acceleration journey featuring expert-led workshops, one-on-one mentorship, and pitch development sessions. The programme will also connect them with ecosystem leaders and past alumni, fostering a strong network of support and collaboration.
The programme will conclude with a Demo Day, where participants will pitch their ventures to a judging panel, and three winners will be selected to receive financial awards and 3 months' access to a co-working space.
The Futuremakers Women in Tech programme reflects the continued commitment to contributing to supporting the potential of Bahraini women in tech. To date, the Women in Tech Bahrain programme has supported over 51 female founders and awarded more than $310,000 in funding since it launched in 2020.
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About Women in Tech Bahrain
In collaboration with Bahrain FinTech Bay, Standard Chartered Bahrain introduces SC Women In Tech, a pioneering initiative tailored exclusively for women. This groundbreaking programmeme seeks to empower women not only in workplaces and society but also in the realms of digital startup ventures and innovation. Through this initiative, the Bank pledges to provide vital support and resources to women in the tech sector, thereby bolstering their contributions to the economy.
