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Our services | Venture support | Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards 2022/2023

Cartier Women's Initiative Awards

Since 2006, Cartier, in partnership with INSEAD Business School, has been aiming to drive change by empowering women impact entrepreneurs. The mission of the Cartier Women’s Initiative is to shine a light on these women and provide them with the necessary financial, social and human capital support to grow their business and build their leadership skills. You can apply by 30 June for one of the three awards here: Regional Awards, Technology Pioneer Award, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award.  
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3 AWARDS

The 2023’s edition of the Cartier Women’s Initiative offers 3 awards:
The Regional Award is dedicated to women-run and women-owned impact-driven businesses from the Benelux countries and Scandinavia. The Science & Technology Pioneer Award is especially dedicated to recognising women impact entrepreneurs at the forefront of scientific and technological innovation. The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award encourages entrepreneurial solutions that close gaps of access, outcome or opportunities for communities that have been underrepresented or underserved. Entrepreneurs across all sectors and geographies are encouraged to apply, and this award is open to all genders. 

Why Apply?

This programme awards over $1 million each year to women impact entrepreneurs globally.

  • US$ 100,000 grant – For each first-place awardee
  • US$ 60,000 grant – For each second-place awardee
  • US$ 30,000 grant – For each third-place awardee

 

The fellowship program aims to equip each fellow with the necessary skills to grow their business and to build their leadership capacity by drawing upon the experience and expertise of academics, practitioners, industry experts, and entrepreneurs and by enabling peer learning. 

  • A tailored human capital development plan with the focus on four areas in which impact entrepreneurs typically require the most support: financials, impact measurement, high-performance communications and mentorship program 
  • Impact entrepreneurship or executive education program by INSEAD with online sessions, peer coaching sessions and impact entrepreneurship program by INSEAD 
  • 1:1 leadership coaching sessions with a highly experienced and certified coach 

The programme strives to highlight the social impact created by fellows and bridge connections between women impact entrepreneurs and their supporters.

  • International exposure & media visibility
  • Access to an online & offline community of 500+ experts and peers

Who should apply?

  • For the regional award, entrepreneurs across all sectors and geographies are encouraged to apply. We recommend applicants from the Benelux countries and Scandinavia apply for the region ‘Europe’
  • The business must be a for-profit that has been generating revenue for at least 1 year.
  • The business must not have raised more than US$2 million in dilutive funding.
  • The business must be in the initial phase of its growth (between 1 and 5 years of licensed/registered operations).
  • The business must meet at least one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • A woman must fill the main leadership position. For example as CEO, General Manager or Director of the company.
  • The founder needs to be a woman and she must be the largest shareholder of founder equity in the company or own a share at least equal to that of her cofounder(s).
  • The candidate must commit to dedicating up to 4−6 hours/week virtually for the duration of the fellowship programme and to attending 1 week of in-person preparatory training.
  • The programme is open to women from all countries and sectors of industry.

Apply here for the Regional Award.

  • The business should be based on the development of a new technology, a complex engineering process, or a scientific discovery
  • The business must be a for-profit 
  • The business should be in the initial phase of its development or growth and must not have been commercializing its final product/service for more than 5 years 
  • The business should demonstrate the potential to have a strong positive impact in its industry and it should meet one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 
  • The applicant must be a woman and she must fill one of the main leadership positions, for example as CEO, general manager or director of the company 
  • The founder needs to be a woman and she must be the largest shareholder of founder equity in the company or own a share at least equal to that of her cofounder(s).
  • The business must be majority owned by its founders and team members at the time of application
  • The candidate must commit to dedicating up to 4-6 hours/week virtually for the duration of the fellowship programme and to attending one week of in-person preparatory training.

Apply here for the Science and Technology Pioneer Award.

  • For this inclusive award, everyone is invited to apply regardless of their gender identity or expression 
  • The business should demonstrate that its main purpose is to work towards closing gaps of access, outcome or opportunities for underserved or underrepresented communities 
  • The business must be a for-profit that has been generating revenue for at least 1 year.
  • The business should be generating revenue from the sales of its products for at least 1 year 
  • The business must not have raised more than US$2 million in dilutive funding.
  • The applicant must fill one of the main leadership positions
  • The business must be majority owned by its founders and team members at the time of application 
  • The business must be in the initial phase of its growth (between 1 and 5 years of licensed/registered operations).
  • The candidate must commit to dedicating up to 4-6 hours/week virtually for the duration of the fellowship programme and to attending one week of in-person preparatory training.

Apply here for the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award.

Apply here