It all began with a game of bingo, but not your typical bingo. Each card featured 16 prompts designed to spark conversation and connection: “Has founded or co-founded a startup,” “Is looking for partnerships,” “Works in fintech, agritech, or health tech,” and other intriguing statements that got everyone talking. As participants checked off boxes, they weren’t just playing a game, they were discovering who was in the room, mapping the women in tech, their areas of expertise, and the fields they were passionate about.

Laughter, energy, and ideas flowed freely, transforming what could have been simple networking into an exciting exploration of potential collaborations and innovation. At the heart of it all were Strathmore University, Village Capital and Standard Chartered Bank, partnering for the ninth time to launch the Women in Tech program, a programme dedicated to mentoring, nurturing, and empowering women tech founders and startup leaders.

The programme equips participants with essential skills while connecting them to experienced mentors, such as those from iBiz Africa. To date, over 92 women have gone through the program, with 40 already benefiting from seed funding. It stands as a powerful example of how closing the digital divide can elevate women in technology, enabling them to drive economic growth and innovation.

This year’s theme, “Inspiring Impact,” perfectly captures the programme’s spirit, energetic, forward-looking, and transformative. It’s about equipping women not just to participate in the tech ecosystem, but to shape it.

Participants enjoy a range of benefits, including:

–          12 weeks of an immersive learning experience

–          Access to a leading network of coaching experts

–          Access to B2B networking opportunities

–          Personalized mentorship sessions to address your unique business needs

–          Opportunity to join a supportive Women in Tech Alumni Network

–          $10,000 equity-free grant seed funding for the top 7 finalists

–          6 months ongoing support from Village Capital and @iBizAfrica to assist with go-to-market and scale for the top 7 finalists.

So, if you’re a woman in tech with a business, congratulations, you’ve already checked off two boxes on the bingo card: being a woman in tech and being a founder. The next step? Sign up for Cohort 9 of the program, currently underway, and take your venture to the next level. Flourish, grow, and let this be your stepping stone to making a real impact in the tech world.

Article written by: Jemmy M. Kamau