Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award 2026
Your 6-month accelerator to move toward investor readiness.
Your impact business works. Now get investor-ready.
The Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award is a 6-month accelerator for women founders building proven solutions in health and food security.
We’re selecting 15 ventures across Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East to strengthen fundamentals and build investor readiness.
How we support your next stage
This global accelerator combines funding, tailored support, and visibility to help you grow with clarity and credibility. As one of 15 awardees, you’ll receive:
Accelerator Program
Access six months of tailored support to strengthen your business fundamentals, sharpen your financials and impact metrics, and prepare for investor-facing moments.
Sponsored Trip
Travel to Amsterdam (26-30 October 2026) for Awardee Days and the Award Ceremony to pitch your venture, connect with your cohort, and celebrate your achievements.
€25,000 Cash Prize
Receive €25,000 in non-dilutive funding to grow your business, expand your reach, and invest in what comes next with confidence.
Visibility and Recognition
Share your work on a global stage through storytelling, media exposure, and video content that strengthens your credibility and reach.
Alumni Community
Join the Bayer Foundation women-led alumni movement for peer support, shared visibility, and opportunities to collaborate beyond the program.
Join Impact Hub Network
Tap into Impact Hub’s global network and expertise for local ecosystem support, founder connections, and opportunities that help you scale across markets.
We're a match if you...
Lead a revenue-generating business:
You are a woman founder, co-founder, or senior leader with decision-making power, building a venture beyond the idea stage.
Scale solutions in health and/or food security:
Your business addresses critical health and/or food security challenges and delivers measurable impact for low- and middle-income communities across Asia, Latin America, Africa and/or the Middle East.
Have traction and are ready to scale:
Your venture has demonstrated traction, with annual revenue of up to USD 1,000,000. You’ve proven your impact business works, now you’re ready to focus on your next stage of growth.
Operate within the required legal structure:
You operate as a social enterprise (for-profit with a social or environmental mission), a hybrid model (non-profit and for-profit), or a non-profit preparing to launch a for-profit entity within 12–24 months. Your organisation must be incorporated on or before 1 January 2025. Registered charities and sole traders are not eligible.
Apply if your
work is focused on:
Health
Cardiovascular Health
Solutions that prevent, detect, and treat cardiovascular conditions, especially climate-related risks such as heat stress and stroke care.
Women’s Health
Solutions that improve health outcomes across the life cycle, from reproductive health to menopause and other women-specific conditions.
Oncology
Cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, especially cancers that affect women, like specialised medicine and genomic testing.
Healthcare Payment Options and Insurance
Models that improve affordability and access through financing, coverage, and flexible payment options for healthcare services.
Community Health Workers and Digital Health Infrastructure
Tools and systems that strengthen last-mile care by supporting community health workers and expanding access in underserved areas.
Food Security
Reducing Food Waste
Solutions that cut food loss and waste across production, storage, distribution, retail, and consumption from farm to fork.
Reducing Malnutrition
Solutions that prevent and reduce malnutrition by improving diets, micronutrient intake, and access to nutritious, affordable food.
Fair markets and pricing
Models that improve market access, increase transparency, and enable fair pricing and trade for producers, buyers, and consumers.
Increasing Smallholder Farmer Productivity
Technologies and services that boost yields, strengthen resilience, and increase income for smallholder farmers.
Water Justice and Sanitation
Solutions that expand clean water and sanitation access, strengthening food systems, nutrition outcomes, and public health.
Your journey starts here
2 March – 13 April
Applications
Your moment to shine! Share your venture, your impact, and your ambitions in health or food security. We’re looking for businesses with traction and clear potential to grow.
June
Finalist Pitches
Thirty finalists will be invited to pitch online to a jury of experts. This stage focuses on presenting your business and your plans for growth. Fifteen founders will be selected to continue.
June – November
Accelerator Program
Join a global celebration of excellence. Winners will travel to an exclusive event to receive their award, connect with peers, and showcase their achievements.
26-30 October
Sponsored Trip
Awardees will travel to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, for Awardee Days and the Award Ceremony. Showcase your venture, build relationships, and celebrate with peers and ecosystem partners.
July – December
Visibility and PR
Awardees receive storytelling and communications support throughout the year, helping you build credibility, reach new audiences, and keep momentum after the program ends.
Meet previous awardees
Discover how past awardees are delivering real-world impact in health and food security, from expanding access to care to strengthening livelihoods and communities.
Need more inspiration?
Creating change is not always easy, but you are not alone. Hear advice, reflections, and motivation from women sharing what keeps them grounded when things get tough.
Your questions answered
Once selected, each awardee completes an onboarding interview and baseline survey so support can be tailored to the venture. You will be matched with a business advisor for regular 1:1 sessions and join group sessions at least once a month with experts and peers.
Group sessions focus on key areas linked to investment readiness, including:
- business and growth planning
- financial planning and fundamentals
- funding pathways and alternative financing
- pitching, storytelling, and communications
Individual support focuses on your most pressing needs at your current stage. The expected time commitment is at least 4 hours per month.
Applications close on 13 April at 23:59 (CEST).
You are eligible if you:
Are a woman founder, co-founder, or senior leader with decision-making power in an operating venture beyond the idea stage
Build in health or food security in Asia, Latin America, Africa and/or the Middle East with measurable impact for low- and middle-income communities
Have traction and are ready to scale, including annual revenue of up to USD 1,000,000, or strong evidence of growing revenue and demand if you are pre-break-even
Meet the legal and incorporation requirements, including operating as a social enterprise (a for-profit with a social or environmental mission)
Non-profits may apply if they have a clear pathway and intent to launch or convert to a for-profit entity within 12–24 months. Your organisation must be incorporated on or before 1 January 2025.
We are looking for ventures that are beyond the idea stage and already operating.
This includes:
- Start-up stage (a solution with a working model and early traction)
- Growth stage (a venture building repeatable operations and demand)
- Scaling stage (expanding into new markets or significantly increasing reach)
Note: Idea-stage concepts are not eligible.
Eligible organisations include:
- Social enterprises (for-profit ventures with a social or environmental mission)
- Hybrid models (a non-profit and a for-profit entity)
- Non-profits may apply if they have a clear pathway and leadership alignment to launch a for-profit entity within 12–24 months.
- Your organisation must be incorporated on or before 1 January 2025.
Yes, non-profits can apply if they have a clear pathway and alignment to launch a for-profit entity within 12–24 months, and meet all other eligibility requirements. Registered charities and sole traders are not eligible.
Applications are reviewed by Bayer Foundation, Impact Hub, and external experts. The top 30 finalists are then invited to pitch online to a jury. From this group, 15 awardees are selected to join the six-month program (5 per region). The final jury includes representatives from Bayer Foundation, the Impact Hub Network, and partner ecosystem organisations.
Yes. The in-person Award Ceremony and program experience are a core part of the award and a highlight of the journey. You will have the opportunity to celebrate your achievements, showcase your venture, and connect with peers, partners, and the wider ecosystem.
The sponsored trip is designed to support your participation and includes international travel, travel insurance, accommodation, visa expenses, event participation (including catering), and a daily allowance of €35/day. Any additional personal expenses are your responsibility.
The €25,000 cash prize is non-dilutive and can be used flexibly to support business growth. Awardees are expected to use it responsibly in service of the venture’s mission and scaling plans.
Beyond the €25,000 cash prize, the program does not provide additional direct investment. The program is designed to help you build investor readiness and access investor-facing opportunities through key moments, learning sessions, and connections via the wider ecosystem.
Beyond meeting the eligibility criteria, outstanding applications show clear traction, a strong team, and a compelling plan to scale impact. We look for founders who can explain why this program is the right fit now, what support will unlock next-stage growth, and a clear commitment to measurable social impact through their solution.
Have more questions after exploring our website? Feel free to contact our team at bfwea@impacthub.net! We’re here to help and will get back to you with a detailed response within 3 business days.
Bayer Foundation and Impact Hub Network share a mission to foster women-led innovation for a just and sustainable future. This partnership combines Bayer Foundation’s commitment to health and food security solutions with Impact Hub Network’s global entrepreneurial ecosystem spanning 100+ locations. Together, we provide founders with funding, expert guidance, community, and the resources they need to scale.