Supporting female entrepreneurs
Women Empowerment Award
Our Women Empowerment Award aims to help female entrepreneurs and their social enterprises generate social impact in the Global South. Every year, fifteen entrepreneurs with solutions for health, nutrition and sustainable agriculture related challenges receive a cash prize along with participation in our tailored empowerment program including active investor feedback and access to our global alumni network
Female entrepreneurs play a key role in
advancing the lives of their communities
Why support female entrepreneurs?
Female entrepreneurs play a key role in the fight against poverty and in advancing the development of the regions in which they operate. However, the female social entrepreneurship journey is marked by major challenges: Lack of funding, discrimination and missing networking opportunities are only a few obstacles. We want to support the brightest minds who jointly pave the way for a fairer tomorrow with their health, nutrition, and agricultural solutions.
What’s in it for female entrepreneurs?
- €25,000 cash prize
- Tailored coaching to reach your business goals
- Access to Bayer Foundation & Bayer’s expert network
- Visibility through branded communication activities
- Final award ceremony
- Alumni Network
What are we looking for?
Female entrepreneurs
Regardless of their initiatives and ideas, female founders face great challenges that hinder their success. The Bayer Foundation Women Empowerment Award aims to enable their ability to create social impact through groundbreaking innovation. We are looking for women-led, women-managed or owned enterprises that help drive social change and improve their communities.
Social Impact Focus
We want to empower female founders active in health, nutrition, and agriculture. Women who want to jointly advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger) and 3 (Good Health & Wellbeing). Women who want to decrease inequalities create perspectives and lift each other.
Global South
Although female founders face obstacles all across the globe, this challenge focuses on entrepreneurs from the Global South – Latin America, Africa & the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. This opportunity is a prime incentive to take centre stage and accelerate their innovations towards a healthier future.
Who are the previous winners?
Previous Winners
Cohort 2023
Tiffany Tong
Aloi
Ayesha Zulfiqar
Bioniks
Akshita Sachdeva
Trestle Labs
Fariel Salahuddin
UpTrade- Goats for Water
Divya Munot
Bamboostan
June Muchuku
Plumbee Wholefoods Ltd
Christina Mawuse Gyisun
Sommalife
Maryanne Gichanga
AgriTech Analytics
Madhvi Dalal
Padmad
Jocelyne Agbo
Farm On Wheels
Cristina Campero Peredo
PROSPERiA
Daniella Castro Araújo
Huna Ltd.
Ingrid Briggiler
Nume
Elisa Violeta Bertini
Puna Bio
Sávia Gavazza
Pluvi - Soluções Ambientais Inteligentes
Cohort 2022
Claire Van Enk
Farm to Feed
Daisy Isaho
Zuri Health
Diana Orembe
Novfeed
Yvette Ishimwe
IRIBA Water Group
Muzalema Mwanza
Safe Motherhood Alliance
Cohort 2021
Caitlin Dolkart
Flare
Angella Kyomugisha
Kaaro Health
Cynthia Mene
Vetsark
Abimbola Adebakin
myMedicines
Morenike Fejemisin
Whispa Health
What are the timelines?
The Women Empowerment Award is an annual program: In 2024, the application period is running from February 7 - March 27. Bayer Foundation is partnering with the Impact Hub Network in this year's award program. Please find all details here: Impact Hub (bayerfoundation-wea.com)
Impact of the Women Empowerment Award
Our Women Empowerment Award winners drive impact to different UN Sustainable Development Goals with their social businesses.
Please find here the Bayer Foundation Impact Database on Loompact.