Cartier Women's Initiative Science & Technology Pioneer Award

The Cartier Women's Initiative is an annual international entrepreneurship program that aims to drive change by empowering women impact entrepreneurs. The Science & Technology Pioneer Award recognizes and funds talented impact entrepreneurs from around the world who are leveraging business as a force for good.

📖 About the Cartier Women's Initiative Science & Technology Pioneer Award

This award is open to women entrepreneurs from any country and sector. It highlights disruptive solutions built around unique, protected, or hard-to-reproduce technological or scientific advances that require:

• Heavy R&D
• A long commercialization cycle
• High capital intensity
• Technology risk and complexity

Opportunity Details:

• Date Published: May 23, 2025
• Application Deadline: June 24, 2025
• Category: Entrepreneurs, Fellowship, Training, Women

💰 Benefits of the Award

Financial Capital Support

• 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

Human Capital Support

Structured into a fellowship program that includes:

• Leadership communications and media training workshops
• In-person INSEAD Women's Impact Entrepreneurship Program
• 1:1 training in specific business areas
• 1:1 executive leadership coaching by The Women’s Impact Alliance

Social Capital Support

• International exposure and media visibility
• Support and mentorship by jury members during the fellowship
• Access to a lifelong community of 500+ active members
• Ongoing support for the development of fellows’ impact businesses

✅ Eligibility Criteria

The Science & Technology Pioneer Award seeks women-led, impact-driven businesses. Applicants across all sectors and geographies are encouraged to apply. Key eligibility criteria include:

1. Technological & Scientific Innovation

• The business must be based on the development of a new technology, a complex engineering process, or a scientific discovery.
• Development from idea (TRL 1) to commercialization (TRL 9) should take at least 2 years.

2. Positive Impact

• The business must demonstrate potential for significant positive impact in its industry.
• It should contribute to at least one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

3. For-Profit

• The business must be designed to generate revenue and return some level of profit. Non-profit enterprises are not eligible.

4. Early-Stage

• The business must be in its initial phase of development or growth.
• It must have at least a proof of concept, a prototype, or be in the process of producing one (minimum TRL 4).
• The business must not have been commercializing its final product/service for more than 6 years.

5. Leadership

• The applicant must be a woman and hold a key leadership position (e.g., CEO, COO, CTO, General Manager, or Managing Director).

6. Ownership

• The business must be majority-owned by its founders and team members.
• Specific ownership conditions apply (e.g., a woman must be the largest shareholder or own an equal or greater share than co-founders).

7. Legal Entry Age

• The applicant must be at least 18 years old by the application deadline (June 24, 2025).

8. English Proficiency

• A good command of English is required (minimum CEFR Level B2).

9. Time Commitment

• Applicants must commit to participating in the fellowship program from January 2026 to December 2026.
• Fellows will dedicate 1–3 hours/week to the program and attend one week of in-person events in April or May 2026.

10. Application

• Only one application per business is allowed.
• Businesses submitting applications to multiple award categories will be disqualified.

📝 Application Process

To apply, complete the online application form and provide the following supporting documents:

Compulsory Documents

• Your resume
• Your business registration document
• Your business capitalization table
• Your pitch deck (no specific format; max 15 pages)

Optional Documents

• Your business’ competitive landscape
• Up to 3 additional attachments (e.g., theory of change, impact framework, impact report, product image, brochure, press articles, etc.)

Note: All documents must be submitted with the online application and cannot be sent separately.

📅 Application Deadline

• June 24, 2025

🌐 Application Portal

• View details of the Cartier Women's Initiative Science & Technology Pioneer Award
• Apply via the official application portal

This is a unique opportunity to empower women entrepreneurs and support impactful, innovative businesses. Don’t miss the chance to make a difference! 🌍

• Financial Capital Support:
  • 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
• Human Capital Support:
  • Leadership communications and media training workshops
  • In-person INSEAD Women's Impact Entrepreneurship Program
  • 1:1 training in specific business areas
  • 1:1 executive leadership coaching by The Women’s Impact Alliance
• Social Capital Support:
  • International exposure and media visibility
  • Support and mentorship by jury members during the fellowship
  • Access to a lifelong community of 500+ active community members
  • Ongoing support for the development of the fellows’ impact businesses