Two startups were selected through a peer-review process designed to promote equitable access to capital and scale mission-driven businesses
Village Capital, in collaboration with Standard Chartered US, announced that Giving Credit and Imera were selected by their peers to receive USD 25,000 in grants to support their operations as part of the US Women in Tech Accelerator program.
The initiative brought together a dynamic cohort of ten women-founded startups developing solutions to advance economic mobility and equitable access to essential services for women, families, and historically underserved communities across the US. Over the course of the program, participants gained hands-on support to scale their businesses, grow their impact, and drive inclusive job creation in the communities they serve.
“What made this experience truly unique wasn’t just connecting with other female entrepreneurs and learning about their companies – it was learning to think like an investor as we assessed one another,” shared Ashley Sherwin, Co-Founder of Giving Credit. “I’m humbled and honored that this incredible group of women sees Giving Credit as an investable company.”
The ten participating startups evaluated each other through an investor lens, using eight specific investment categories that leverage Village Capital’s venture investment levels. This methodology allows entrepreneurs to decide who will receive funding based on each company’s progress, potential, and vision for impact. Studies show that this approach has proven effective in unlocking capital to a broader set of entrepreneurs and predicting future performance more accurately than conventional impact investment funds.
“We are proud to congratulate the two startups selected as winners of the inaugural Women in Tech Accelerator program,” said Mandy DeFilippo, CEO of Standard Chartered US and Americas. “At Standard Chartered, we believe inclusion is a catalyst for innovation and sustainable growth, and a key source of long-term competitive differentiation. Our partnership with Village Capital and its commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs reflects our shared commitment to expanding access to opportunity. This initiative aligns with our broader efforts to lift participation in the economies we serve by supporting inclusive innovation and helping to close capital gaps. Together, we’re backing founders who are driving real-world impact and shaping a more equitable and resilient future.”
The peer-selected startups focus on the following:
- Giving Credit(Malden, Massachusetts) facilitates peer-lending transactions, allowing lending and borrowing with friends and family through social networks to expand access to mainstream credit.
- Imera (New York, New York) is a go-to platform for over 40 million immigrants in the US. It offers personalized AI-driven guidance and streamlined access to essential services such as banking, housing, legal, healthcare, and more.
For more information, reach out to Yireth Villaverde at Village Capital (yireth.villaverde@vilcap.com).
The US Women in Tech Accelerator is one of several initiatives under the Futuremakers program in the Americas. Other programs include partnerships with Upwardly Global, Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA), and Youth Business International. To date, the Futuremakers programs in the Americas have supported more than 2500 individuals through skills development, entrepreneurship, and employability training.
