BizDev.

Unlock Her Future Prize, South Asia Edition

Powered by The Bicester Collection, as part of its DO GOOD programme, this annual start-up competition supports women social entrepreneurs like YOU to create sustainable businesses that make a real, lasting impact in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

We’re looking for women social entrepreneurs from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

If you win, you can receive a grant of up to US$100,000, leadership coaching, mentorship from global experts, academic support from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, and local guidance on social impact from Ashoka.

ARE YOU READY? LET’S FIRST CHECK YOU’RE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY:

These four statements must be true!

  1. I have an innovative idea that will drive positive social impact and falls into one of these categories:
    • Ideas – Validation stage: you have a big idea for a new product or service with a tested prototype and are validating it
    • Launch – Growth stage: you have a start-up that’s been operating under three years, with less than US$1 million in revenue
  2. I am a woman, over 18 years old, citizen and resident of one of these countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, or Sri Lanka
  3. My idea aligns with at least one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
  4. I intend to register and operate my start-up in South Asia to create meaningful impact in those communities

Before you apply, please check our Terms and Conditions to make sure you’re eligible. You will need to verify your eligibility in the next step, before you start the application. To learn how we handle your personal data, please read our Privacy Notice.

Evaluation process:

Applications close on 10 March 2025 at midnight. Once submitted, all eligible applications will be reviewed anonymously in several rounds to ensure a fair process within this timeline:

1. Semi-Finalists will be announced by the start of July 2025

2. Finalists will be announced in September 2025 and invited to pitch their ideas in person to the judges in October. Our panel includes eight incredible women from South Asia, ready to share their expertise and support your journey

3. The Awards Ceremony will take place in the UK in November 2025, where we announce the winners!

Please note you’ll need to pitch in English, so a good understanding of the language is important. If it helps, feel free to use tools like Google Translate to complete your application.

WE’RE HERE TO HELP YOU!

Join one of our Zoom sessions where we’ll walk you through the application process and answer any questions you have:

28 January 9.30 am GMT, 3 pm IST

18 February 9.30 am GMT, 3 pm IST

Share your Unlock Her Future Prize journey. Tag @TheBicesterCollection #UnlockHerFuture #DOGOOD

Good luck – we’re excited to receive your application. Thank you!

About

NextBillion publishes free ads for business development opportunities available to enterprises working in low- and middle-income countries. These may include accelerators, competitions, funding opportunities, incubators, requests for proposals, and training courses. To submit an ad, click on the “Submit BizDev Opportunity” button above.
 

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