Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
SLASSCOM’s Women Technopreneurs Forum concluded Hack Like a Girl 2.0 and Fast Forward 4.0, empowering female tech founders in Sri Lanka. Five startups won Fast Forward’s accelerator support, while university teams presented innovative hackathon projects addressing social challenges. Supported by key partners, these initiatives boost female-led innovation in Sri Lanka’s tech ecosystem.
Orange Jordan’s 2025 “Inspiring Change” Award honored women-led projects advancing sustainable digital innovation, introducing a new fintech category. Winners included Wasil, Genskin, SOHO ERP, and BitMal. Supported by Capital Bank and Int@j, the initiative aims to boost women’s roles in tech entrepreneurship across Jordan.
Standard Chartered Egypt is expanding its role amid robust banking sector growth by focusing on women-led tech startups, financial inclusion, and corporate sector support. Its Futuremakers accelerator addresses funding and mentorship gaps, aiming to empower women entrepreneurs and create jobs, while leveraging a global network to boost trade and investment. Recent macroeconomic improvements underpin a positive outlook for the bank’s continued growth in Egypt.
Orange Jordan sponsored the 2025 Global Women in Tech and Digital Transformation Summit, reinforcing its commitment to digital inclusion and empowering women in tech through innovative solutions and community initiatives aligned with its “Lead the Future” vision.
Futuremakers Women in Tech accelerator launches in Egypt, supporting women-led startups with mentorship, masterclasses, and funding opportunities. The program promotes gender diversity and innovation in Egypt’s tech sector, backed by Standard Chartered, AUC Venture Lab, and Village Capital.
Pakistan’s Ignite freelance training programs have generated $1.65 billion and trained 4.6 million students, but lawmakers call for increased female participation to at least 50%. Ignite plans course expansions including AI, while oversight continues over PTCL’s leadership and sector developments.
Zambian women-led tech startups can apply to the Women in Tech accelerator by BongoHive Innovations for training, mentorship, and equity-free funding. The program supports sustainable growth aligned with SDGs and includes grants and extended post-programme assistance.
Jordan’s Senate President inaugurates a conference focusing on digital transformation’s role in economic empowerment, with emphasis on advancing women’s participation and fostering entrepreneurship in a rapidly changing world.
Pakistan has made significant strides in closing the mobile internet gender gap, surpassing India and Bangladesh in female internet usage. In 2024, 45% of Pakistani women used mobile internet, driven by efforts from telecom operators and regulators. While rural women lead the surge, challenges like affordability and social norms remain.
The Bangladesh government is expanding digital access to bridge inequality, focusing on women and rural populations. Efforts include enabling mobile access to government services and aligning with SDG Goal 10. Taiyeb calls for media collaboration to raise awareness and empower marginalized groups through digital inclusion.