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?
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.
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: At the beginning of each year, we open the public call for applications. For 2023, the application deadline closed on March 24. The application, selection and program will be managed in partnership with Unknown Innovation. Next application phase will start in January/February 2024.
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.