StanChart honours women in tech start-ups

Five women-led tech businesses have each received Sh1 million each in seed funding from Standard Chartered Bank Kenya.

This follows the successful completion of the third cohort of a tech incubation programme launched in 2017 by the lender in partnership with iLab Africa - a division of Strathmore University.

This year’s top five firms are Bena Care which provides home nursing services; Arbres Biotech which focuses on technology transfer in agriculture and Nature’s Touch which manufactures skin care products.

Others are Soul Food Enterprises which serves Swahili cuisines; and Taste Afrique which manufactures and sells natural food seasoning products.

The five winners were selected from a group of 180 companies. Kariuki Ngari, the Standard Chartered Bank Kenya chief executive said the Women in Tech programme aspires to support and nurture entrepreneurship, technology and business growth for women.

Dr Joseph Sevilla, the director of @iBizAfrica Centre at Strathmore University said the programme has shown an increase of women businesses with the potential to drive the economy.