Last year, six exceptional female-led startups emerged as the top winners of the Standard Chartered Women in Tech Incubator Program – Cohort 4. Each business received $10,000 in equity-free grant funding, alongside hands-on mentorship and strategic training.

To find out how these women are doing one year later, our Marketing & Communications Lead, Tilyenji Mwanza Mundungani, caught up with some of the founders to hear what growth, wins, and lessons have shaped their journey since the program.

🧩 Koloso App – Data-Driven Learning for Every Student

Koloso is a gamified mobile platform that provides real-time learning gap analysis to help teachers personalise learning support for their students.

“SCWiT gave us the clarity and confidence to scale. With the funding, we launched a web-based version of our app, which has improved accessibility for schools. We’re now supporting learners in South Africa too.”
— The Koloso Team

By creating personalised quizzes aligned with national curriculum and teaching plans, Koloso empowers both educators and learners with actionable data. Their web version has been a game-changer for classroom adoption, and their footprint is now growing beyond Zambia.

📚 Wila Wane Store – Screen-Free Learning for Curious Minds

Founded by Dr. Kayanda Besa, Wila Wane is more than a retail store—it’s a movement for childhood learning through books and toys in a screen-free environment.

“I don’t have a small business anymore—I run a corporation.”
— Dr. Kayanda Besa

Thanks to the SCWiT Program, Dr. Besa launched both an e-commerce platform and a physical store in Lusaka. With new clarity in business packaging, data tracking, and customer retention strategies, Wila Wane is now a go-to destination for parents and educators looking for curated educational resources.

🚌 Kiddies Commute – Redefining Safe Transport for Children

Tetiwe Nzimah, a serial BongoHive alumna, is on a mission to make child transport safer and more reliable across Zambia. Kiddies Commute is not only breaking even—it’s eyeing cross-border expansion.

“Funding is great, but knowledge and the right team are everything. SCWiT gave me both.”
— Tetiwe Nzimah

Tetiwe credits the program for helping her refine her vision and build a strong team. With interest from regional markets like Zimbabwe, Kiddies Commute is well on its way to becoming a trusted brand in child logistics.

🌿 Chiseko Agritech – Empowering Farmers with Smart Tools

At the intersection of tech and agriculture is Esineya T. Chilumbu, the founder of Chiseko. Her startup is building a digital platform for Zambia’s farmers, giving them real-time insights on production, crop management, and market access.

“We’re not just building an app—we’re building an ecosystem for Zambian agriculture.”
— Esineya Chilumbu

With the SCWiT funding, Chiseko began developing their Sekonomics platform, which is already in pilot phase. Their growing network includes partnerships with supermarkets and hospitality brands, transforming how fresh produce moves through the value chain.

🧼 Promaid – Making a Clean Difference
Founded by Idah Gondwe, Promaid Cleaning Services is changing the face of domestic and commercial cleaning through a seamless booking platform and a mission-driven team.
“The SCWiT program gave us clarity, boosted our visibility, and equipped us with tools that sparked real business growth.” — Idah Gondwe
Promaid has since signed an MOU with Teledoctor to train staff in CPR, First Aid, and Biohazard Cleaning. From humble beginnings to now leading a team of 18 women, Idah’s passion is rooted in her lived experiences—and her drive to professionalise cleaning while empowering others.

🥗 Berry Green – Scaling Wellness Through Food-Tech

Berry Green is a food-tech startup revolutionizing healthy eating in Zambia through curated meal plans, wellness catering, and a tech-powered ordering system.

“The SCWiT program gave us the structure to refine our tech strategy and the confidence to scale. Since the program, we’ve grown our client base by 200%, launched a pilot version of our custom-built web app for seamless ordering, and secured partnerships with local suppliers, wellness brands and corporate clients, all while building a stronger, wellness-focused brand presence.”

— Timale Manda

🌟 One Year Later: Real Growth, Real Impact

Each of these businesses has taken full advantage of the opportunities offered through the SC Women in Tech Program—scaling faster, building smarter, and creating lasting impact in their industries.

These founders prove that when women are empowered with the right tools, they don’t just build businesses—they build the future.