Cohort 2 founders will compete for a USD 50,000 catalytic fund as Standard Chartered Foundation, Future Lab and The Innovation Village deepen a transformative collaboration to scale women-led innovation and inclusive enterprise growth in Uganda
Kampala: Standard Chartered Uganda in partnership with Innovation Village, Village Capital and Future Lab, has unveiled 20 women-led, tech-enabled startups selected for Cohort 2 of the Women in Tech Uganda Accelerator Programme, a high-impact initiative advancing inclusive innovation, women’s economic participation and Uganda’s digital transformation agenda. The 2026 cohort brings together founders building practical solutions across Agriculture Technology, Education Technology, Health Technology, Renewable Energy, Accessibility Technology and Financial Inclusion, demonstrating how women entrepreneurs are using technology to address social, economic and environmental challenges in Uganda.
The unveiling was held during the Cohort 2 “Meet the Leadership” session at Standard Chartered’s Head Office in Kampala, connecting founders with programme partners, mentors, coaches, ecosystem players and Cohort 1 alumni as they prepare for the accelerator journey.
The accelerator moves beyond training into transformation, combining structured business support, mentorship, market access, investment readiness and catalytic funding to help women-led startups become resilient, revenue-generating enterprises.
Over the coming months, founders will receive support in business model refinement, digital adoption, market validation, financial management, leadership development and investor readiness. Top-performing startups will compete for catalytic grant funding from a USD 50,000 pool to strengthen operations, unlock growth and scale measurable impact.
The programme is part of the Standard Chartered Foundation’s global youth economic empowerment initiative focused on employability, entrepreneurship, decent work and microbusiness growth. Globally, Women in Tech programme backs women founders with capital, networks and tailored support.
In 2026, more than USD 600,000 in grant funding is being deployed across 12 markets, including Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, reinforcing the programme’s international scale and local relevance.
Speaking about the unveiling, Margaret Kigozi, Head Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing, Standard Chartered Bank Uganda, said: “We are pleased to once again extend this opportunity to women in technology entrepreneurs. This programme is strongly aligned to Uganda’s Tenfold Growth Agenda, particularly its focus on Science, Technology and Innovation as a driver of productivity, enterprise growth and inclusive economic transformation. As a Bank, we have consistently supported initiatives that equip young people, entrepreneurs and communities with the skills, networks and opportunities they need to participate meaningfully in the economy. Through Women in Tech, we are building on that work by supporting women founders with mentorship, business development support, market access and catalytic funding.
She added: “The first cohort showed us what is possible when women-led businesses receive the right support. They strengthened their enterprises, built confidence, expanded their networks and developed solutions responding to real societal needs. As we welcome Cohort 2, our ambition is to deepen that impact and help more women-led, tech-enabled businesses grow, create jobs and contribute to Uganda’s transformation agenda. We are grateful to The Innovation Village, Village Capital and Future Lab for partnering with us to make this possible.”
Arthur Mukembo, Chief Executive Officer, Future Lab, said: “This accelerator programme gives women founders the structured support, market linkages, mentorship and catalytic capital needed to turn promising ventures into scalable and investable businesses.”
The session featured a founder story from Cohort 1 alumna Keroy King of Sunshine Financial Services, profile introductions for the 2026 cohort and an “Ask Us Anything” panel with Bank leadership, programme partners, coaches and ecosystem players. Women in Tech Uganda responds to systemic barriers that limit women entrepreneurs, including restricted access to finance, mentorship, business support, networks and markets. These barriers affect not only business growth, but also household incomes, job creation, productivity and participation in the digital economy.
As Cohort 2 begins its accelerator journey, the 20 founders join a community of mentors, investors, alumni, coaches, ecosystem partners and peers, strengthening the pipeline of women-led, tech-driven businesses contributing to Uganda’s transformation agenda.
