Standard Chartered and Village Capital Celebrate Startups of Inaugural Women in Tech Accelerator
Standard Chartered's partnership with Village Capital and its commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs reflects our shared commitment to expanding access to opportunity.
The initiative brought together a dynamic cohort of ten women-founded startups developing solutions to advance economic mobility and equitable access to essential services for women, families, and historically underserved communities across the US. Over the course of the program, participants gained hands-on support to scale their businesses, grow their impact, and drive inclusive job creation in the communities they serve.
'What made this experience truly unique wasn't just connecting with other female entrepreneurs and learning about their companies – it was learning to think like an investor as we assessed one another,' shared Ashley Sherwin, Co-Founder of Giving Credit. 'I'm humbled and honored that this incredible group of women sees Giving Credit as an investable company.'
The ten participating startups evaluated each other through an investor lens, using eight specific investment categories that leverage Village Capital's venture investment levels. This methodology allows entrepreneurs to decide who will receive funding based on each company's progress, potential, and vision for impact. Studies show that this approach has proven effective in unlocking capital to a broader set of entrepreneurs and predicting future performance more accurately than conventional impact investment funds.
'We are proud to congratulate the two startups selected as winners of the inaugural Women in Tech Accelerator program,' said Mandy DeFilippo, CEO of Standard Chartered US and Americas. 'At Standard Chartered, we believe inclusion is a catalyst for innovation and sustainable growth, and a key source of long-term competitive differentiation. Our partnership with Village Capital and its commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs reflects our shared commitment to expanding access to opportunity. This initiative aligns with our broader efforts to lift participation in the economies we serve by supporting inclusive innovation and helping to close capital gaps. Together, we're backing founders who are driving real-world impact and shaping a more equitable and resilient future.'
The peer-selected startups focus on the following:
Giving Credit (Malden, Massachusetts) facilitates peer-lending transactions, allowing lending and borrowing with friends and family through social networks to expand access to mainstream credit.
Imera (New York, New York) is a go-to platform for over 40 million immigrants in the US. It offers personalized AI-driven guidance and streamlined access to essential services such as banking, housing, legal, healthcare, and more.
For more information, reach out to Yireth Villaverde at Village Capital (yireth.villaverde@vilcap.com).
The US Women in Tech Accelerator is one of several initiatives under the Futuremakers program in the Americas. Other programs include partnerships with Upwardly Global, Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA), and Youth Business International. To date, the Futuremakers programs in the Americas have supported more than 2500 individuals through skills development, entrepreneurship, and employability training.
About Village Capital
Village Capital is reinventing the system to back the entrepreneurs of the future. Known for its groundbreaking approaches to supporting founders who are building solutions to emergent social, economic, and environmental challenges, VilCap unlocks critical social and financial capital for early-stage startups to maximize business and impact growth.
Since 2009, Village Capital has supported close to 1,800 startups that have raised over USD 5 billion in investment capital. It has made more than 150 investments through its various affiliated funds, including Vilcap Investments, which has invested in 110 peer-selected companies. Additionally, more than 36,000 members actively engage on Abaca, their web app that equips entrepreneurs, ESOs, and capital providers with tools for learning about, assessing suitability and expanding access to financial capital. Its latest feature, Capital Explorer, helps founders identify the most appropriate funding options for their businesses. Learn more at www.vilcap.com and follow @villagecapital.
About Standard Chartered
We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 53 of the world's most dynamic markets. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good.
Our history in the US dates back to 1902, and we are currently present in nine locations throughout the Americas. Our Americas franchise focuses on financial institutions and select corporations and plays a key role in facilitating trade and investment flows between the Americas and Asia, Africa, the UK and Europe and the Middle East.
Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges.
For more stories and expert opinions please visit Insights at sc.com. Follow Standard Chartered on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
About Futuremakers by Standard Chartered
Futuremakers by Standard Chartered (Futuremakers) is Standard Chartered Bank's global youth economic empowerment initiative to tackle inequality and promote greater economic inclusion in the Group's markets. Futuremakers supports disadvantaged young people, especially women and people with disabilities, to learn, earn, and grow. By 2030, Futuremakers aims to create and sustain 140,000 jobs by enabling young entrepreneurs and job-seekers to achieve economic power and participation. Visit www.sc.com/futuremakers
About Standard Chartered Foundation
The Standard Chartered Foundation (SCF) is a charitable organisation that tackles inequality by promoting greater economic inclusion for disadvantaged young people, particularly young women and people with disabilities. Its programmes focus on employability and entrepreneurship, helping young entrepreneurs and jobseekers access the skills, networks, opportunities and support they need to achieve economic power and participation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Wire
22-07-2025
- Business Wire
Standard Chartered and Village Capital Celebrate Startups of Inaugural Women in Tech Accelerator
WASHINGTON, D.C. & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Village Capital, in collaboration with Standard Chartered US, announced that Giving Credit and Imera were selected by their peers to receive USD 25,000 in grants to support their operations as part of the US Women in Tech Accelerator program. Standard Chartered's partnership with Village Capital and its commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs reflects our shared commitment to expanding access to opportunity. The initiative brought together a dynamic cohort of ten women-founded startups developing solutions to advance economic mobility and equitable access to essential services for women, families, and historically underserved communities across the US. Over the course of the program, participants gained hands-on support to scale their businesses, grow their impact, and drive inclusive job creation in the communities they serve. 'What made this experience truly unique wasn't just connecting with other female entrepreneurs and learning about their companies – it was learning to think like an investor as we assessed one another,' shared Ashley Sherwin, Co-Founder of Giving Credit. 'I'm humbled and honored that this incredible group of women sees Giving Credit as an investable company.' The ten participating startups evaluated each other through an investor lens, using eight specific investment categories that leverage Village Capital's venture investment levels. This methodology allows entrepreneurs to decide who will receive funding based on each company's progress, potential, and vision for impact. Studies show that this approach has proven effective in unlocking capital to a broader set of entrepreneurs and predicting future performance more accurately than conventional impact investment funds. 'We are proud to congratulate the two startups selected as winners of the inaugural Women in Tech Accelerator program,' said Mandy DeFilippo, CEO of Standard Chartered US and Americas. 'At Standard Chartered, we believe inclusion is a catalyst for innovation and sustainable growth, and a key source of long-term competitive differentiation. Our partnership with Village Capital and its commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs reflects our shared commitment to expanding access to opportunity. This initiative aligns with our broader efforts to lift participation in the economies we serve by supporting inclusive innovation and helping to close capital gaps. Together, we're backing founders who are driving real-world impact and shaping a more equitable and resilient future.' The peer-selected startups focus on the following: Giving Credit (Malden, Massachusetts) facilitates peer-lending transactions, allowing lending and borrowing with friends and family through social networks to expand access to mainstream credit. Imera (New York, New York) is a go-to platform for over 40 million immigrants in the US. It offers personalized AI-driven guidance and streamlined access to essential services such as banking, housing, legal, healthcare, and more. For more information, reach out to Yireth Villaverde at Village Capital ( The US Women in Tech Accelerator is one of several initiatives under the Futuremakers program in the Americas. Other programs include partnerships with Upwardly Global, Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA), and Youth Business International. To date, the Futuremakers programs in the Americas have supported more than 2500 individuals through skills development, entrepreneurship, and employability training. About Village Capital Village Capital is reinventing the system to back the entrepreneurs of the future. Known for its groundbreaking approaches to supporting founders who are building solutions to emergent social, economic, and environmental challenges, VilCap unlocks critical social and financial capital for early-stage startups to maximize business and impact growth. Since 2009, Village Capital has supported close to 1,800 startups that have raised over USD 5 billion in investment capital. It has made more than 150 investments through its various affiliated funds, including Vilcap Investments, which has invested in 110 peer-selected companies. Additionally, more than 36,000 members actively engage on Abaca, their web app that equips entrepreneurs, ESOs, and capital providers with tools for learning about, assessing suitability and expanding access to financial capital. Its latest feature, Capital Explorer, helps founders identify the most appropriate funding options for their businesses. Learn more at and follow @villagecapital. About Standard Chartered We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 53 of the world's most dynamic markets. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good. Our history in the US dates back to 1902, and we are currently present in nine locations throughout the Americas. Our Americas franchise focuses on financial institutions and select corporations and plays a key role in facilitating trade and investment flows between the Americas and Asia, Africa, the UK and Europe and the Middle East. Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges. For more stories and expert opinions please visit Insights at Follow Standard Chartered on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. About Futuremakers by Standard Chartered Futuremakers by Standard Chartered (Futuremakers) is Standard Chartered Bank's global youth economic empowerment initiative to tackle inequality and promote greater economic inclusion in the Group's markets. Futuremakers supports disadvantaged young people, especially women and people with disabilities, to learn, earn, and grow. By 2030, Futuremakers aims to create and sustain 140,000 jobs by enabling young entrepreneurs and job-seekers to achieve economic power and participation. Visit About Standard Chartered Foundation The Standard Chartered Foundation (SCF) is a charitable organisation that tackles inequality by promoting greater economic inclusion for disadvantaged young people, particularly young women and people with disabilities. Its programmes focus on employability and entrepreneurship, helping young entrepreneurs and jobseekers access the skills, networks, opportunities and support they need to achieve economic power and participation.
Business Wire
13-05-2025
- Business Wire
Standard Chartered Celebrates Winner of the 2025 Women in Tech Incubator Competition
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Standard Chartered Americas (the 'Bank') and the Zahn Innovation Center ('Zahn Center') at City College of New York ('CCNY') are proud to announce the winner of the 2025 Women in Tech ('WiT') Incubator Competition - an initiative designed to support and empower women entrepreneurs in the technology sector. The Women in Tech Incubator is more than a program – it's a platform for emerging entrepreneurs to access the resources, networks and support they need to develop their businesses and become leaders. This year's top honor goes to CareerDay, recognized for their innovative platform that empowers college students to discover and pursue fulfilling career paths through personalized, AI-driven roadmaps and interactive tools designed to maximize their undergraduate experience. Now in its 11th year, the Women in Tech Incubator continues to be a vital platform for female tech entrepreneurs, providing access to mentorships, resources, and networks that help bring transformative ideas to life. 'At Standard Chartered, we believe that promoting inclusion within teams and businesses helps to drive innovation and deliver excellence,' said Mandy DeFilippo, Chief Executive Officer, US and the Americas at Standard Chartered Bank. 'Our partnership with the Zahn Center reflects our shared commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for women in technology. The Women in Tech Incubator is more than a program – it's a platform for emerging entrepreneurs to access the resources, networks and support they need to develop their businesses and become leaders. We're proud to support CareerDay as they turn bold ideas into lasting impact.' As the grand prize winner, CareerDay will receive USD15,000 in seed funding to further develop and optimize their idea. The second-place prize of USD5,000 was awarded to EvalRx, a venture focused on transforming AI in healthcare by delivering unbiased data insights to improve outcomes for all. 'We're incredibly honored to be recognized as the winner of the Women in Tech Incubator Competition,' said Sheyla Perez of CareerDay. 'Winning this prize gives us the momentum to expand CareerDay and support even more students with personalized, AI-driven career roadmaps. The incubator gave us the resources to refine our vision, and now we're ready to turn that vision into impact at scale.' 'We're exceptionally proud of the talented entrepreneurs emerging from this year's Women in Tech Incubator,' said Kesia Hudson, Managing Director of the Zahn Innovation Center at the City College of New York. 'Their vision, resilience, and innovation reflect the best of what's possible when women are empowered to lead in tech. Our partnership with Standard Chartered continues to be a catalyst for change – helping us create a more inclusive and dynamic future for our students and the industry.' The WiT Incubator is among several programs under the Futuremakers initiative in the Americas. Other programs include partnerships with Bossgirls, Village Capital, Upwardly Global, Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America, and Youth Business International. They all aim to empower the next generation by promoting greater economic inclusion. About the Women in Tech Incubator at the Zahn Innovation Center Formed in October 2014, the Standard Chartered Women in Tech Incubator program is an initiative that aims to support greater diversity in gender representation within the technology sector. The incubator program is a partnership with the Zahn Innovation Center at the City College of New York that provides support, guidance, and resources that early-stage women-led startups need to grow into successful businesses. This partnership has various levels of engagement and supports entrepreneurship among women across campus through: A mentorship network, including both Bank employees and local leaders in tech and government A Women in Entrepreneurship themed speaker series A newly renovated space housing the 'Standard Chartered Technology Incubator for Women Entrepreneurs' Resource Center Entrepreneurship courses and material to address entrepreneurship challenges About The City College of New York Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Lightcast puts at $3.2 billion CCNY's annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the 'for dollar' return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. In 2023, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign, ever. The campaign, titled ' Doing Remarkable Things Together ' seeks to bring the College's Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit. About Standard Chartered We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 52 of the world's most dynamic markets. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good. Our history in the US dates back to 1902, and we are currently present in nine locations throughout the Americas. Our Americas franchise focuses on financial institutions and select corporations and plays a key role in facilitating trade and investment flows between the Americas and Asia, Africa, the UK and Europe and the Middle East. Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges. For more stories and expert opinions please visit Insights at Follow Standard Chartered on X, LinkedIn, Instagra m and Faceboo k. About Futuremakers by Standard Chartered Futuremakers by Standard Chartered (Futuremakers) is Standard Chartered Bank's global youth economic empowerment initiative to tackle inequality and promote greater economic inclusion in the Group's markets. Futuremakers supports disadvantaged young people, especially women and people with disabilities, to learn, earn, and grow. By 2030, Futuremakers aims to create and sustain 140,000 jobs by enabling young entrepreneurs and job-seekers to achieve economic power and participation.
Yahoo
16-12-2024
- Yahoo
Village Capital Expands Partnership with Standard Chartered to Accelerate Women-Led Tech Solutions in the US
A three-year initiative to support women-identifying founders with mentorship, training, and growth opportunities WASHINGTON & NEW YORK, December 16, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Village Capital, in collaboration with Standard Chartered US, is excited to announce the launch of the US Women in Tech Accelerator, a new three-year transformative initiative aimed at addressing systemic inequities in funding and support for women-identifying startup founders. Running from March to July, the program is part of the Bank's Futuremakers by Standard Chartered initiative and funded by the Standard Chartered Foundation. Already established in other regions, the program now expands to the United States to empower women-led, impact-creating, tech-enabled startups to scale their solutions, create jobs, and drive economic mobility nationwide. Despite growing awareness of the funding gap for women founders, all-women founding teams have received an average of only 2.4%1 of venture capital funding over the past 30 years, perpetuating barriers to innovation, economic growth, and equitable access to resources. The US Women in Tech Accelerator program is designed to tackle these inequities and unlock early-stage financial and social capital through support, expertise, resources, and tools needed to scale their solutions. A Collaborative Approach to Breaking Barriers This partnership will prioritize startups led by women from historically marginalized communities, including BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs. Together, Standard Chartered and Village Capital will focus on solutions that expand access to: Affordable healthcare and wellness resources High-quality education and professional development Financial resilience and generational wealth-building opportunities Essential services that drive economic mobility for underserved communities "At Standard Chartered, we believe that equitable access to funding and resources is essential to fostering innovation and driving meaningful impact," said Sonia Rossetti, Regional Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand & Marketing at Standard Chartered. "Through the US Women in Tech Accelerator, and in partnership with Village Capital, we are addressing the systemic challenges women founders face, creating pathways for them to scale their ideas, transform their communities, and realize their full potential." "Our expanded partnership with Standard Chartered US marks a significant step forward in leveling the field for women-identifying tech entrepreneurs," said Kelly Bryant, US Regional Director at Village Capital. "This initiative goes beyond funding; it's about equipping women leaders with the tools, mentorship, and resources they need to drive meaningful change in their communities. Together, we aim to break down barriers to access and create a more inclusive and equitable innovation ecosystem in the United States." Applications are open for the inaugural cohort with 10-12 startups until January 31, 2025. Full details and eligibility criteria can be found here. The US Women in Tech Accelerator will provide the selected startups with investment-readiness training, personalized development plans, expert mentorship, and networking opportunities. Also, the entrepreneurs will work with advisors and industry leaders to strengthen their business models and maximize their impact. The selected founders will participate in virtual workshops designed to equip them with the networks and tools needed to scale their solutions. At the end of the accelerator, two startups will be selected by their peers to receive USD 25K in grant capital. All startups that apply to the program will be invited to join Abaca, Village Capital's free web app. Abaca includes Capital Explorer, which equips entrepreneurs to make strategic fundraising decisions that align with their mission and vision and identify relevant resources and capital providers. Abaca also helps entrepreneurs on a venture path to assess their investment readiness using a consistent set of Venture Investment Levels (1-9) and then plan and track progress toward their next level with the Milestone Planner. For more information, reach out to Yireth Villaverde at Village Capital ( The US Women in Tech Accelerator is among several programs under the Futuremakers initiative in the Americas. Other programs include partnerships with Upwardly Global, Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America, and Youth Business International. They all aim to promote greater economic inclusion. About Village Capital Village Capital is reinventing the system to back the entrepreneurs of the future. Known for its groundbreaking approaches to supporting founders who are building solutions to emergent social, economic, and environmental challenges, VilCap unlocks critical social and financial capital for early-stage startups to maximize business and impact growth. Since 2009, Village Capital has supported close to 1,800 startups that have raised over USD 5 billion in investment capital. It has made more than 150 investments through its various affiliated funds, including Vilcap Investments, which has invested in 110 peer-selected companies. Additionally, more than 36,000 users actively engage on Abaca, their web app that equips entrepreneurs, ESOs, and capital providers with tools for learning about, assessing suitability and expanding access to financial capital. Its latest feature, Capital Explorer, helps founders identify the most appropriate funding options for their businesses. Learn more at and follow @villagecapital. About Standard Chartered We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 52 of the world's most dynamic markets. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good. Our history in the US dates back to 1902, and we are currently present in nine locations throughout the Americas. Our Americas franchise focuses on financial institutions and select corporations and plays a key role in facilitating trade and investment flows between the Americas and Asia, Africa, the UK and Europe and the Middle East. Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges. For more stories and expert opinions please visit Insights at Follow Standard Chartered on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. About Futuremakers by Standard Chartered Futuremakers by Standard Chartered (Futuremakers) is Standard Chartered Bank's global youth economic empowerment initiative to tackle inequality and promote greater economic inclusion in the Group's markets. Futuremakers supports disadvantaged young people, especially women and people with disabilities, to learn, earn, and grow. By 2030, Futuremakers aims to create and sustain 140,000 jobs by enabling young entrepreneurs and job-seekers to achieve economic power and participation. Visit About Standard Chartered Foundation The Standard Chartered Foundation (SCF) is a charitable organisation that tackles inequality by promoting greater economic inclusion for disadvantaged young people, particularly young women and people with disabilities. Its programmes focus on employability and entrepreneurship, helping young entrepreneurs and jobseekers access the skills, networks, opportunities and support they need to achieve economic power and participation. 1 View source version on Contacts Media Yireth VillaverdeVillage Sammi HeStandard Chartered
