In 2014, the percentage of young women involved in the Zahn Center’s programming was a mere 13%. Because of its belief in an equitable future, Standard Chartered Bank developed an initiative designed to increase the number of young women pursuing technology and entrepreneurship. The highlight of this initiative includes the competition track “Women+Tech4NYC,” where teams founded by women develop technologies that address issues in urban settings. The competition offers grand prizes and support from experts at Standard Chartered. The bank also sponsors an elective course at CCNY focused on the history of women’s entrepreneurship, as well as an entrepreneurship program for high school girls called #Bossgirls. With Standard Chartered’s support, we’ve engaged more young women in our programs, and for the past two years, we’ve established 50/50–or greater–gender parity in our incubator.
Standard Chartered’s continued sponsorship at the Zahn Center is a pillar of its Futuremakers initiative, designed to raise $50 million by 2023 to tackle inequality and increase economic inclusion for young people across the globe. Standard Chartered will invite young people–especially girls and the visually impaired–to gain new skills and expertise to improve their chances of getting a job or starting their own businesses. By enabling young people to realize their full potential, Standard Chartered is aiming to promote economic inclusion and drive commerce and prosperity in the communities where it does business.
