Standard Chartered Awards $75,000 to Women-Led Startups in Bahrain

The Standard Chartered Foundation has concluded the seventh cohort of its Women in Tech Bahrain programme, awarding $75,000 in equity-free grants to three female-led startups. For fintech professionals, this highlights the ongoing push to diversify the Gulf’s digital economy and the increasing maturity of Bahrain’s local entrepreneurial ecosystem through sustained institutional support.

What was announced

The seventh edition of the Women in Tech Bahrain accelerator programme, a partnership between the Standard Chartered Foundation, Bahrain FinTech Bay, and Village Capital, culminated in a Demo Day held in Manama. The initiative, which also received support from UNIDO and Innovate for Bahrain, provided 13 women entrepreneurs with tailored investment-readiness training, expert mentorship, and strategic support to refine their business models and scalability.

Three startups were selected to receive equity-free grant funding and three months of additional incubation support. The first prize of $35,000 was awarded to Vivid Algorithms, founded by Marwa Hesham. The second prize of $25,000 went to Maraj, founded by Latifa Al Khayat, while Jaras, founded by Walaa Aloraibi, secured the third prize of $15,000.

The ventures were evaluated by a judging panel that included Shaikha Tareef, Acting Chief Executive Officer at Standard Chartered Bahrain; Suzy Al Zeerah, Chief Operating Officer at Bahrain FinTech Bay; Khalid AlBayat, Deputy Chief Executive of Programme Design and Delivery at Tamkeen; Aseya Galadari, Head of Audit for Bahrain and Iraq at Standard Chartered; and Ameer Abu Bakr, National Investment Promotion Expert at UNIDO ITPO Bahrain. Since its inception, the Bahraini chapter of this global initiative has supported more than 60 women-led or co-founded startups and distributed over $380,000 in grant funding.

"Women entrepreneurs are an important force for innovation, job creation and sustainable economic growth. Through the Women in Tech accelerator programme, we are not only backing promising businesses; we are helping founders develop the investment readiness, strategic networks and leadership capabilities required to scale with confidence. The achievements of the seven cohorts demonstrate the strength of Bahrain’s entrepreneurial talent and the value of sustained collaboration across the public and private sectors. We are proud to support these founders as they build resilient businesses and contribute to Bahrain’s digital and diversified economy."

Shaikha Tareef, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bahrain.

The companies involved

Bahrain FinTech Bay is a leading fintech hub in the Middle East, providing a dedicated platform for innovation through its physical workspace, acceleration programmes, and advisory services. It plays a central role in the Kingdom’s digital transformation strategy, fostering collaboration between financial institutions, government bodies, and startups. The hub is instrumental in positioning Bahrain as a competitive financial technology centre globally.

The Standard Chartered Foundation operates as a global charitable organisation focused on tackling inequality by promoting economic inclusion. Its Women in Tech initiative is a flagship programme designed to address the gender funding gap in the technology sector. Standard Chartered Bahrain, led by Acting CEO Shaikha Tareef, provides the local institutional weight and regional expertise necessary to execute these programmes within the Gulf market.

Village Capital is a global venture capital firm and accelerator partner that specialises in supporting early-stage entrepreneurs. By focusing on "investment-readiness," the firm helps startups bridge the gap between initial concepts and the rigorous requirements of institutional investors, a critical component of the Women in Tech curriculum.

What FF News has reported before

The Standard Chartered Foundation has been active in expanding this initiative across the MENA region. FF News recently reported that the Standard Chartered Foundation Launches Second Women in Tech Accelerator to Close Egypt’s $2.2B Funding Gap, highlighting the scale of the capital disparity the bank is attempting to address.

Bahrain FinTech Bay has also been a frequent subject of coverage regarding its strategic partnerships. This includes a memorandum of understanding where Beyon Solutions and Bahrain Fintech Bay Sign MoU to Strengthen Collaboration and Support Digital Transformation. Furthermore, the hub has been at the forefront of emerging technologies, as seen when Bahrain Fintech Bay and Tether Announce Strategic MoU to Advance Blockchain Innovation. These efforts coincide with broader regional trends where Bahrain and Singapore Lead the Future of Digital Public Infrastructure.

What this means

The conclusion of the seventh cohort signals a shift in the Bahraini startup scene from "early-stage ideas" to commercially viable entities with real revenue and growing teams. By providing equity-free grants rather than traditional debt or equity-based investment, the programme allows founders to retain control while de-risking their operations for future VC rounds. This moves the needle for the local industry by creating a pipeline of "investment-ready" female-led firms in a region where gender-specific funding remains a significant hurdle. However, the recurring nature of these cohorts puts pressure on the wider Gulf financial sector to provide follow-on capital once these startups exit the three-month incubation phase.