Women in Tech Accelerator Pakistan announces eighth cohort winners

Standard Chartered Foundation, working alongside INNOVentures Global and Village Capital, closed out its latest round of the Women in Tech accelerator in Karachi, handing equity-free grants worth Rs10.5 million to three women-led ventures. EV Square, led by Aimen Shafique, took the top prize of Rs5 million, while Blusha App, founded by Minahil Zafar, secured Rs3 million for second place and Zvolta, founded by Anusha Shahid, won Rs2.5 million for third. Business Recorder reported that the prizes were handed over at a graduation event.

Each of the three winners will get six more months of hands-on guidance and financial oversight, along with a place in the Women in Tech Alumni Network for life. The accelerator began with 30 founders attending a six-day bootcamp, after which 10 of them spent three months getting customised investment-readiness help and expert mentoring. Participants also sharpened their business models, competitive edge, ability to grow and fundraising plans, while high-potential startups received a two-stage funding intervention.

The scheme forms part of the foundation's wider Women in Tech push, which also operates in Africa and the Middle East. Since launching, the Pakistan accelerator has backed more than 200 women-led startups and handed out over $425,000 in grants. Globally, the plan is to reach 400 women entrepreneurs across 12 countries within three years, distributing $1.9 million in catalytic grants and supporting over 1,200 jobs.