GhIPSS CEO Urges Stronger Support for Women-Led Innovation at Women in Tech Accelerator Launch
The Chief Executive of the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS), Mrs. Clara Arthur, has called for stronger support for women-led innovation and entrepreneurship, emphasizing the need to close persistent funding and capacity gaps affecting female founders.
She made the call at the launch of the 6th cohort of the Standard Chartered Women in Tech Accelerator programme, organised by Standard Chartered Bank Ghana in partnership with the Ghana Climate Innovation Centre.
Mrs. Arthur commended Standard Chartered for its continued investment in women entrepreneurs through funding, mentorship, and structured training. She noted that women in technology are increasingly shaping the future of enterprise, describing their presence as “women who are not waiting for permission to enter the technology space.”
She also underscored the persistent funding gap for women-led businesses globally, noting that structural barriers continue to limit access to finance despite their growing contribution to economic development. “What Standard Chartered has achieved through this accelerator is a direct and practical response to these challenges,” she said.
Since its launch in 2020, the Women in Tech Accelerator has supported 84 female entrepreneurs in Ghana, providing incubation, mentorship, and technical training across sectors including fintech, agritech, edtech, health, and e-commerce. A total of 26 businesses have collectively received USD 260,000 in seed funding to support scale and growth. The 6th cohort will induct 10 new women-led businesses.
The programme is funded by the Standard Chartered Foundation and implemented locally by GCIC, an institute of Ashesi University. GCIC leads recruitment, training, incubation, and communications, while also supporting climate-focused innovation across energy, agriculture, waste management, and water systems.
The induction session brought together about 40 participants, including the selected entrepreneurs, alumni, and representatives from Standard Chartered, GCIC, and Ashesi University. The session focused on onboarding new participants, strengthening peer networks, and inspiring leadership in innovation and technology-driven enterprise.
Mrs. Arthur encouraged participants to fully leverage the opportunity, urging them to “scale with purpose” and build resilient businesses. She added: “You belong in every room your ambition takes you into.”
The Women in Tech programme currently operates in 13 markets across Africa and the Middle East, supporting women entrepreneurs through structured acceleration, funding, and mentorship.
