The programme, funded by the Standard Chartered Foundation, aims to support women-led tech startups during their early stages.
This year’s cycle drew more than 240 applications, from which 12 startups were selected. After three months of training, 11 companies completed the programme.
At the final pitch day, held on Tuesday, three startups, Aziza, Tribe, and Learning Rockets, were selected to receive $10,000 each in equity-free seed funding.
Participants took part in over 35 training sessions and more than 40 mentorship meetings covering strategy, growth planning, innovation, and preparing to pitch to investors.
Specialists from technology, finance, marketing, and innovation fields engaged directly with the founders throughout the programme.
Mohamed Gad, CEO and head of Coverage at Standard Chartered Egypt, said the bank is “proud to graduate the first cohort of the Women in Tech Futuremakers programme in Egypt,” noting that the achievement marks “a strong start in efforts to strengthen women’s participation and leadership in the sector.”
Gad added that the dedication shown by participants “reflects the transformative potential of this initiative.”
Founding Director of AUC Venture Lab Ayman Ismail said the programme brought together practical knowledge and real-world insights.
“We worked with 11 women entrepreneurs on developing their projects and enhancing their chances of success while broadening their professional networks,” he added.
Ismail said the graduation marks “an important step in their entrepreneurial journey.”
The accelerator targets women founders aged 18–35 with a functional product or validated prototype, and whose projects align with one or more UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Out of the initial applicant pool, 63 startups reached the interview stage, 25 advanced to the bootcamp, and 20 were shortlisted before 11 companies were selected.
The cohort covered sectors like healthcare, e-commerce, edtech, clean energy, manufacturing, and pet insurance.
AUC Venture Lab will continue supporting graduates with mentorship, investor introductions, and opportunities to engage in upcoming activities.
The Futuremakers initiative is active in several markets across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia and has supported over 4,000 women-led enterprises in 17 countries to date.
Egypt targets increasing job opportunities from the current 900,000 to 1.2 million by 2030 under its new economic narrative.
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