Standard Chartered Foundation

The Standard Chartered Foundation is a charitable organisation established by Standard Chartered in 2019. It is committed to helping tackle inequality by empowering under-served young people, especially women and people with disabilities. It sets the strategy for – and funds – youth employability and entrepreneurship programmes across Standard Chartered’s markets, helping young people access the skills, networks and support they need to secure decent work and create jobs. The Standard Chartered Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales (charity number 1184946).

Our partnership with Standard Chartered Foundation

Our partnership with Standard Chartered Foundation currently spans two initiatives:

Unlocking Opportunities for Inclusive Financial Growth

Running from September 2024 to February 2028, the ‘Unlocking Opportunities for Inclusive Financial Growth’ programme, funded by Standard Chartered Foundation, is a transformative initiative designed to address the financial barriers faced by young, underserved entrepreneurs in Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Vietnam. Working with local YBI members — Instellar in Indonesia, Somo in Kenya, Fate Foundation in Nigeria, and Startup Vietnam Foundation — the programme aims to empower 984 young entrepreneurs to create and sustain over 2,822 jobs, driving social transformation and economic growth.

Empower and Elevate – Enabling Inclusive Futures

‘Empower and Elevate – Enabling Inclusive Futures‘ is a programme funded by Standard Chartered Foundation to equip young entrepreneurs in Brazil, Poland, Türkiye and the UK with the tools and resources they need to grow and scale their business and create jobs and economic growth in their communities. Priority is given to supporting typically marginalised young entrepreneurs, including women, people with disabilities, refugees and migrants, young people belonging to minority communities, and those from rural or low-income backgrounds. The programme consists of four projects, implemented by our members Aliança Empreendedora (Brazil), Habitat (Türkiye), The School for Social Entrepreneurs (UK), and Youth Business Poland.

Past initiatives

Initiatives

Empower and Elevate – Enabling Inclusive Futures Programme Overview Empower and Elevate – Enabling Inclusive Futures is a programme funded by Standard Chartered Foundation designed to equip young entrepreneurs in Brazil, Poland, Türkiye and the UK with the tools and resources they need to grow and scale their business and create jobs and economic growth in their communities. Priority is given to […]

Unlocking Opportunities for Inclusive Financial Growth Programme Overview Young underserved entrepreneurs face significant barriers to accessing finance that hinder their growth and limit their potential. Running from September 2024 to February 2028, the ‘Unlocking Opportunities for Inclusive Financial Growth’ programme, funded by Standard Chartered Foundation, is a transformative three-year initiative designed to address the financial barriers faced by young, underserved entrepreneurs […]

Success Stories

Kendal Netmaker

Canada

Kendal is from Sweetgrass First Nation, Saskatchewan. He was supported by one of our founding members, Futurpreneur in Canada, when he started his sports apparel business in 2011, aged just 22. He is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, and gifted keynote speaker who is on a mission to empower and motivate people worldwide by sharing his […]

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Adaeze Akpagbula

Nigeria

34-year-old entrepreneur Adaeze Akpagbula is passionate about green technology and sustainability in agriculture. Having witnessed the struggles of farmers first-hand—especially her own parents—she was inspired to harness IoT (Internet of Things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) climate-smart technologies to transform livestock farming. Through her business Farmspeak Technology Limited, Adaeze is making significant strides in enhancing productivity, increasing […]

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Dareem Jeffrey

Trinidad and Tobago

29-year old Dareem Jeffrey’s entrepreneurial journey began with a mission to combat water scarcity in his home country of Trinidad and Tobago. Growing up in a rural community, he witnessed first-hand the challenges posed by water shortages. This inspired him to create EcoWash, an innovative, ecological carwash system that uses only two litres of water […]

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Keerthana Vangapally

India

29-year-old Keerthana Vangapally’s journey as a social entrepreneur began with a deeply personal experience. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she fell seriously ill. Her family turned to traditional millet-based recipes to aid her recovery, and the impact was profound. This experience sparked an idea: what if more people had access to nutritious, preservative-free food options made […]

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Sandra Junele

United Kingdom

Sandra Junele, founder of Junele Ltd, is on a mission to combat climate change by turning textile waste into stunning wall art panels and inspiring her community to embrace sustainability. Her innovative business not only transforms discarded materials into beautiful, eco-friendly products but also creates opportunities for education and advocacy. Sandra’s entrepreneurial journey began with […]

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