The Standard Chartered Foundation awarded the grants in partnership with Village Capital and @iBizAfrica-Strathmore University. The grants were announced at the Women in Tech Kenya Cohort 9 Award Ceremony and Graduation in Nairobi on 29 September 2026. Fifteen women founders completed the 12-week accelerator programme.
Each of the seven startups received KES 1.29 million. The capital gives early-stage ventures room to test products, widen distribution and build a track record ahead of larger funding rounds.
The seven startups operate across health, aquaculture and education, with one agricultural input platform and a mushroom producer rounding out the group. Seta Farm produces mushrooms from organic waste. Premac Care connects families with trained healthcare professionals for maternal and specialist nursing care at home, covering newborns and elderly patients.
Nakuru Tubers uses digital tools to connect smallholder farmers with verified agricultural inputs through demand matching and last-mile distribution.
Trident Analytics uses sensors, artificial intelligence and geospatial tools to help smallholder aquaculture farmers monitor their farms and reach markets.
The remaining four recipients are ChipuRobo, FishBox Africa, Uptyke Consulting and Seta Farm. ChipuRobo provides hands-on artificial-intelligence and robotics education through locally fabricated kits. FishBox Africa is developing AI-powered farm-management software and smart feeders for fish farmers. Uptyke is developing accessible digital-learning solutions for learners with disabilities using sign language, audio and interactive content. Seta Farm grows mushrooms from organic waste and creates income opportunities for women and young people.
| Startup | Focus area |
|---|---|
| Premac Care | Home-based healthcare |
| Nakuru Tubers | Digital agricultural inputs |
| Trident Analytics | IoT and AI for aquaculture |
| ChipuRobo | AI and robotics education |
| FishBox Africa | AI farm-management software |
| Uptyke Consulting | Accessible digital learning |
| Seta Farm | Mushroom agri-processing |
What does the grant mean for investors?
By FurtherAfrica’s reading of this cohort, the seven companies address markets where digital penetration remains low and demand is structurally large — a combination that historically attracts follow-on venture interest once pilots convert to paying accounts.
The ninth cohort of the Women in Tech Kenya Accelerator has been completed.
Quick answers
Each of the seven selected startups received KES 1.29 million, equivalent to roughly US$10,000, from a total grant pool of KES 9 million (approximately US$70,000).
The Standard Chartered Foundation provided the funding in partnership with Village Capital and iBizAfrica at Strathmore University, with the awards announced in Nairobi on 29 September 2026.
The cohort covers home-based healthcare (Premac Care), digital agricultural inputs (Nakuru Tubers), aquaculture technology (Trident Analytics and FishBox Africa), AI education (ChipuRobo), accessible edtech (Uptyke Consulting) and agri-processing (Seta Farm).
