Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
41% of Kuwaiti startups are female-led, disrupting e-commerce, fintech, and culture. Supported by government initiatives and funding, women entrepreneurs are driving economic diversification and social change despite traditional challenges. The trend promises continued growth and empowerment.
Bitcoin and crypto offer Afghan women financial hope despite Taliban bans and harsh restrictions, with underground markets sustaining remittances and savings.
Standard Chartered Bahrain, alongside Bahrain FinTech Bay, has selected ten female-led startups to join the Futuremakers Women in Tech Bahrain programme’s sixth cohort. The initiative offers expert training, mentorship, and networking over eight weeks, aiming to accelerate women entrepreneurs in diverse tech sectors and foster a more inclusive innovation ecosystem aligned with Bahrain’s economic development goals.
Standard Chartered Egypt focuses on empowering women entrepreneurs through tailored accelerator programs and mentorship while driving broader economic growth via strategic sector support and leveraging its global network for investment and trade.
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.