Women in Tech Cohort 7: Standard Chartered Pakistan announces winners

KARACHI: Standard Chartered Pakistan’s Women in Tech Accelerator funded by Standard Chartered Foundation has announced its Cohort 7 winners post a graduation ceremony held in Karachi.

The programme run in collaboration with Village Capital and INNOVentures Global selected 10 exceptional start-ups out of a cohort of 30 who underwent a five-day business acceleration bootcamp.

These ventures span diverse sectors including women empowerment, mental health, edtech, health and wellness, climate innovations and circular fashion. Each startup received funding of PKR 1 million to validate their scaling plan.

On the occasion, Rehan Shaikh, CEO & Head of Coverage, Standard Chartered Pakistan said that the Women in Tech Accelerator Programme supports women entrepreneurs with funding and through mentorship, structured guidance, and the tools that they need to scale their businesses with confidence. “Together, we are fostering an ecosystem where women-led enterprises can make significant economic contributions across Pakistan.

The programme remains a shining example of what can be achieved when women entrepreneurs are provided not only with a platform but also with the capital, confidence, and community support to thrive”, he added.

Yumkins Foods is the winner of this year’s Women in Tech programme and won price PKR 5 million. Atfaalis the 1st runner up with a price money of PKR 3.5 million and Ooteinis the 2nd runner up with a prize of PKR 2 million.

Founded by Hira Mubeen, a nutritionist and entrepreneur, Yumkins Foods is Pakistan’s first fresh, preservative-free baby food brand, designed for infants and toddlers aged six months to five years. Supported by the Women in Tech program, Yumkins is scaling operations, expanding to Lahore and Islamabad, and exploring exports to GCC markets.

Founded in 2020 by Erum Sheheryar, Atfaal is a social enterprise bridging the gap between women’s training and employment in Pakistan. Starting with one machine and PKR 25,000, Atfaal now generates PKR 4.3 million annually, has sold 5,000+ garments, and empowered over 40 women.

Founded by Maria Ameer, a celiac patient turned entrepreneur, Ootein is Pakistan’s first certified allergen-free food brand, created to provide safe, affordable nutrition for the 14.7 million Pakistanis living with food allergies and intolerances.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025