Women in Tech Accelerator Pakistan announces eighth cohort winners

Standard Chartered Foundation, in partnership with INNOVentures Global and Village Capital, has concluded the eighth cohort of the Women in Tech Accelerator for Pakistan, awarding three women-led start-ups equity-free grant funding totalling Rs10.5 million at a graduation ceremony in Karachi.

EV Square, founded by Aimen Shafique, received the first prize of Rs5 million, while Blusha App, founded by Minahil Zafar, received Rs3 million as the second prize. Zvolta, founded by Anusha Shahid, was awarded the third prize of Rs2.5 million.

The winners will also receive an additional six months of hand-holding and financial oversight, along with lifelong membership of the Women in Tech Alumni Network.

The Accelerator began with 30 founders undergoing a six-day bootcamp, after which 10 women entrepreneurs received three months of tailored investment-readiness support and expert mentorship.

The programme also provided opportunities for participants to strengthen their business models, competitive advantage, scalability and funding strategies, alongside a two-stage funding intervention for high-potential startups from the cohort.

The Women in Tech Accelerator supports women entrepreneurs building innovative, technology-enabled businesses that address market and community needs. Through investment-readiness support, catalytic grant funding and expert mentorship, the programme aims to help founders scale sustainably, create jobs and deliver lasting impact.

Commenting on the occasion, Adil Salahuddin, CEO & Head of Coverage, Standard Chartered Pakistan, congratulated the founders of Cohort 8 and said the programme had been designed to help entrepreneurs strengthen their business models and accelerate their growth journey through mentorship, business advisory support, industry connections and capacity-building opportunities.

“We are proud to have supported these founders as they scale their ventures, create employment opportunities, and contribute to Pakistan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” he said, wishing each founder continued success as they take their businesses to the next level.

British Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi Alison Blackburne said Pakistan’s women entrepreneurs were turning bold ideas into businesses that create jobs and improve lives.

“The UK is proud to support their ambition and talent,” she said, congratulating this year’s winners and commending the Standard Chartered Foundation and its partners for providing women with the funding, skills and networks needed to grow their businesses and shape Pakistan’s future.

The founders presented their ventures to a judging panel comprising Ghias Khan, Independent Non-Executive Director and Member of the Board of Directors, Standard Chartered Pakistan; Saad Amanullah, Board Member FFC and President PILAP; Musharaf Hai, Former CEO Unilever Pakistan; and Sara Khurram, CEO Sehat Kahani.

The Pakistan Accelerator is part of the Standard Chartered Foundation’s global Women in Tech initiative, which is delivered across Africa, the Middle East and Pakistan.

Since its launch, the Pakistan Accelerator has supported more than 200 women-led start-ups through mentorship and awarded over $425,000 in grant funding.

Globally, the programme aims to support 400 women entrepreneurs across 12 countries, including Pakistan, over three years, distribute over $1.9 million in catalytic grants, enable and support more than 1,200 jobs across participating markets, and connect women founders to a global network of peers, funders and industry experts.

The programme is designed to help women founders build, scale and lead businesses that create meaningful impact in their communities by providing access to training, networks, mentorship and catalytic funding.