APPLICATIONS OPEN UNTIL JUNE 30
SC WIN Now & Next
Programme 2026
12 Week Global Accelerator Programme for Women Entrepreneurs Across Hong Kong/GBA and India.
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ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
Backing bold women.
Building the future.
The SC WIN Now & Next Challenge 2026 brings together Standard Chartered — one of the world's leading international banks — and LIFTWOMEN® — Asia-Pacific's first and leading women-focused funding platform and network — to accelerate the next generation of women-led businesses across two of Asia's most dynamic markets. The programme combines a pitch format with a structured 12-week accelerator designed to build capability and accelerate growth at different stages of business development.
KEY DATES
Programme Timeline
30 JUNE 2026
JUL-AUG 2026
Apply
Applications are open until June 30
Apply Hong Kong
Apply India
Screening & Interviews
Top 10 finalists announced mid-August
AUG-OCT 2026
Accelerator Programme
12-week accelerator runs (online)
END OCT 2026
Pitch Finale and Award Ceremony
In person - Hong Kong & Mumbai!
How it works
If you're ready to take your business to the next level, apply before 30 June 2026.
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Weekly online sessions
Over a 12-week online accelerator program, 10 finalists will gain access to dedicated expert-led learning covering pitching, marketing, founder resilience, finance and wealth and how to scale.
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Dedicated 1:1 Mentorships, connections to Investors, Experts & Entrepreneurs
We match you with ongoing mentorship and introductions to investors and leaders across the ecosystem to boost your business.
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Pitch for funding & connect with peers and investors
The programme culminates in an in-person Pitch Finale and Award Ceremony in respective markets at the end of October 2026.
Programme Awards
Outstanding participants will be recognised at the SC WIN Now & Next Challenge Pitch Finale and Award Ceremony, with four programme awards presented to businesses demonstrating excellence, impact and growth potential.
🏆 Best SC WIN Business
Awarded to the standout business demonstrating exceptional growth, leadership and overall performance.
🌏 Best International Business
Celebrating founders with strong cross-border ambitions and global market potential.
💚 Best Business for Good
Recognising businesses creating meaningful social or environmental impact alongside commercial success.
🚀 Best Next Gen Business
Honouring emerging founders building innovative solutions for the future.
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ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
More than a programme. A launchpad.
Gain the knowledge, networks and visibility to accelerate your business, connect with a powerful community of women founders, and unlock opportunities that extend far beyond the 12-week programme.
Built for Ambitious Founders
Designed for women-led businesses ready to grow, scale and think bigger — whether you're building locally or expanding internationally.
Expert Learning
Access practical, founder-focused sessions covering fundraising, marketing, operations, finance and resilience.
Mentors, Investors & Ecosystem Leaders
Learn from experienced entrepreneurs and connect with mentors, investors and industry experts who can help accelerate your next stage of growth.
A Global Community
Join the SC WIN network of 4,500+ women-owned businesses across seven markets, opening the door to cross-border connections, collaborations and lifelong relationships.
Recognition & Opportunities
Increase your visibility, pitch your business on a major stage, and gain access to media exposure, new partnerships and ongoing opportunities through the wider SC WIN ecosystem.
Meet our previous winners
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Dr Zoë Condliffe
From Founder to Leader — Our first ever Lift Angels grant winner
When Dr Zoë Condliffe won the very first Lift Angels Grant in 2022, she raised $15,000 on the LIFTWOMEN® platform for her startup She’s A Crowd — now the world’s largest geospatial database of gender-based violence.
That early vote of confidence helped propel She’s A Crowd into an award-winning, globally recognised social enterprise. Since then, Zoë has received the Boosting Female Founders Grant, been backed by Coralus, and won multiple national awards including the Telstra Best of Business Award. She’s become one of Australia’s most respected voices in gender equity, social impact innovation, and tech-for-good.
Now, she’s come full circle — stepping into leadership at LIFTWOMEN® Group as Director of Growth & Impact.
“The Lift Angels Grant didn’t just give me funding — it gave me belief. It showed me what happens when women back women, and that belief has multiplied across every founder I’ve mentored since. Now, as Director of Growth & Impact at LIFTWOMEN, I get to pay that forward and help other women take flight.”
- Dr Zoë Condliffe
Director of Growth and Impact LIFTWOMEN® Group
2023 Winner
Compassion Creamery
Sarah Qian
In 2023, chemical engineer turned founder Sarah Qian won the LIFTWOMEN® Female Founder Grant Challenge for Compassion Creamery — a vegan, nut-free, soy-free oat “cream cheese” brand made with 100% Australian oats.
She went on to secure the Boosting Female Founders Grant and multiple industry accolades, including The Hive Awards’ Rising Star.
2024 Winner
Ovum AI
Dr Ariella Heffernan-Marks
In 2024, Dr Ariella won the $20,000 LIFTWOMEN® APAC Grant Challenge for Ovum, an AI platform using women’s health data to close diagnostic gaps.
That early boost helped Ovum secure a $1.7 million pre-seed raise in 2025 — fast-tracking its mission to revolutionise women’s health equity.
2025 Winner
GreenHip Workwear
Liv
In 2025, Olivia Thwaites won the LIFTWOMEN® Lift Angels Grant, going on to oversubscribe her “We Belong Here” crowdfunding campaign for Green Hip Workwear — Australia’s first functional, feminine workwear brand for women in trades.
That momentum led to a major international launch through Bunnings Warehouse, expanding Green Hip’s mission to empower women in every workplace.
Your turn to take flight
Ready to go from
0 to 1?
We believe that every woman has the potential to achieve greatness and make a difference in the world. We are committed to empowering women and girls to embrace who they are, define their future, and change the world.
Trusted & Supported By:
Who can apply?
SC WIN Now & Next is open to women-led businesses in Hong Kong/Greater Bay Area and India that are ready to accelerate growth, strengthen their leadership and connect with a powerful global network.
🇭🇰 Hong Kong / Greater Bay Area
Applicants must:
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Be a women-led business:
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Option A: 51%+ women ownership, or founded by a woman with at least 50% shareholding; or
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Option B: 20%+ women ownership, with a woman in senior leadership and at least 30% women representation on the board.
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Be incorporated in Hong Kong.
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Have been operating for a minimum of one year.
🇮🇳 India
Applicants must:
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Be a women-led business:
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Option A: 51%+ women ownership, or founded by a woman with at least 50% shareholding; or
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Option B: 20%+ women ownership, with a woman in senior leadership and at least 30% women representation on the board.
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Be incorporated in India.
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Have been operating for a minimum of two years.
If you're building a business with ambition and impact, we'd love to hear from you.
REAL FUNDING, REAL GROWTH
Why Apply ?
Expert
guidance
Learn from experienced founders, investors and industry experts through a practical 12-week programme designed to help you grow with confidence.
Access to funding opportunities
Pitch your business on a major stage and gain exposure to potential investors, partners and ecosystem leaders who can support your next chapter.
Raise your
profile
Build your visibility through media exposure, storytelling support and opportunities to showcase your business within the wider SC WIN ecosystem.
Join a powerful community
Become part of a supportive network of ambitious women founders, mentors and changemakers across Hong Kong, India and beyond.
Long term opportunities
The relationships, knowledge and connections you build don't end after 12 weeks. Join an ecosystem designed to support women-led businesses for the long term.
Global
connections
Access the SC WIN community of 4,500+ women-owned businesses across seven markets and unlock opportunities for collaboration, growth and international expansion.
As Seen In:
WHY CHOOSE US ?
Our Impact
Collectively, along with our funded founders, we've supported over 200,000 communities and created hundreds of employment opportunties. We traced the footsteps of Ira Puspita, one of our successful founders, to visit the artisans in Bali supported by her business, Kayu&Co. Witnessing the life-changing impact our empowered founders are making in their broader communities fills our hearts and motivates us to keep going.
LIFTWOMEN® is a truly empowering platform that has transformed my entrepreneurial journey. As a 23 yo female entrepreneur from the Philippines, I've faced numerous challenges in securing funding and support. LIFTWOMEN® not only provided the financial boost I needed through their grant program, but they also offered a supportive community that genuinely believes in the power of women-led businesses. Their dedication to uplifting women is evident in every aspect of their work, from the resources they provide to the genuine care they show for each project. With the $10k in grants and crowdfunding I received, we've been able to grow our socials to over 160k followers, launch our first digital product, and onboard thousands of students. LIFTWOMEN® has empowered us to achieve more than we ever thought possible!
- Anna Beatriz Suavengco,
Founder of Urban Farmer TV | People's Choice Award Winner