Three Female-Led Bahraini Startups Win $75,000 prize money in Standard Chartered Women in Tech Bahrain Program

Three innovative Bahraini female-led startups have been announced as the winners of the fifth cohort of the Standard Chartered Women in Tech incubation program. The winners were revealed during the program’s demo day, attended by esteemed executives and representatives, including Dr. Boutros Klink, CEO of Standard Chartered Bahrain; Ms. Noora Al-Nusuf, Head of Corporate Affairs and Brand and Marketing, Middle East (excluding UAE) at Standard Chartered Bank; Ms. Yasmeen Al Sharaf, Director of the FinTech & Innovation Unit at the Central Bank of Bahrain; representatives from Tamkeen and the Supreme Council for Women; Mr. Ahmed Hejres, Financial Counselor at UNIDO ITPO Bahrain; and Ms.Marwa Aleskafi, Director of Programs and Partnerships Development at Tamkeen; Eng. Mariam Jumaan, Member of the Supreme Council for Women and Ms. Suzy Al Zeerah, Chief Operating Officer of Bahrain FinTech Bay.

The first prize of USD 35,000 was awarded to Ingy Alireza, Founder of Numuw, the second prize of USD 25,000 went to Shahd Al Zaki Co-Founder of ProCode, and the third prize of USD 15,000 was earned by Sarah Barghout, Founder of Let’s Collect. These winners were carefully selected by a distinguished panel of judges representing all program partners.

The announcement followed the presentations of the 10 participating female entrepreneurs, whose ventures span a diverse array of industries, including E-Sports, B2B Marketplace, Food Technology (FoodTech), Education Technology (Ed-Tech), HR & Employee Wellness, Event Management Platform, Restaurant Management Software, Health Technology (Health-Tech), and Loyalty and Rewards.

Launched in March 2024, the fifth edition of the Women in Tech program is a key part of a global initiative by Standard Chartered Bank. The program, in partnership with Bahrain FinTech Bay, Innovate for Bahrain, and in collaboration with the Central Bank of Bahrain, Tamkeen, the Supreme Council for Women, and UNIDO ITPO Bahrain, provides comprehensive support, mentorship, and funding to empower Bahraini female entrepreneurs. Each year, 10 applicants are selected to participate in an 8-week program, concluding with the selection of three winners who receive financial rewards and a 3-month residency at Bahrain FinTech Bay. This initiative aims to foster the entrepreneurial potential of Bahraini women and integrate them into the Kingdom’s economic development.