The Cartier
Women's Initiative Awards are an international business plan competition
created in 2006 by Cartier, the Women's Forum, McKinsey & Company
and INSEAD business school to identify, support and encourage projects by women
entrepreneurs.
The mission
of the Cartier Women's Initiative Awards is threefold:
- To identify and support initial-phase
women entrepreneurs through funding
and coaching - To foster the spirit of enterprise by
celebrating role models in entrepreneurship
- To create an international network of
women entrepreneurs and encourage
peer networking
The Cartier
Women's Initiative Awards aim to encourage the most vulnerable category of
entrepreneurs in their most vulnerable phase: women entrepreneurs starting up.
Since their inception in 2006, they have accompanied over 100 promising female
business-owners and recognized 32 Laureates.
The annual
competition involves two rounds:
Round 1 (in
June): The Jury selects 18 Finalists*, the top three projects of each
region (Latin America, North America, Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East
& North Africa, Asia-Pacific), on the basis of their short business plans.
They receive coaching from experienced businesspeople to move to the next
round.
Round 2 (in
October): The Finalists are invited to France for the final round of
competition which includes submitting a detailed business plan and presenting
their projects in front of the Jury. They are also invited to the Annual Global
Meeting of the Women's Forum.
Based on the
quality of the plan and the persuasiveness of the verbal presentation, one
Laureate for each of the six regions is selected and receives a unique and
comprehensive support package: US $ 20 000 of funding, one year of coaching,
networking opportunities and media exposure.
Application deadline the 2014
Edition of the Awards is February 28, 2014 at 10am Paris time (CET).
For more information and
application please visit the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards page.
