Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award

Supporting women-led innovation to grow their businesses and impact

30

women-led enterprises supported in 2024 & 2025

€9.5M

investment raised since joining the programme

€8.9M

revenue growth since joining the programme

Creating the conditions for women-led social enterprises to grow and scale

Since 2021, the Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award has supported women founders developing solutions in health and food security across Africa and the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.

 

Women entrepreneurs often face barriers to funding, with promising businesses overlooked by traditional investment networks. The award programme helps address these gaps so founders can access the support they need to grow and scale.

 

Delivered in partnership with Impact Hub Network, the initiative combines non-dilutive award funding with a six-month accelerator. Founders strengthen their investment readiness, gain visibility for their work and connect with potential investors and partners.

How the right support comes together

Locally rooted scouting​

Impact Hub teams in 70+ countries surface strong women-led ventures in priority countries that traditional pipelines often miss.

Flexible capital

€25,000 in non-dilutive award funding supports the next step. Founders can then progress towards equity, convertible or outcome-based financing as their needs evolve.

Investment readiness

A 6-month accelerator sharpens the business model, metrics, and narrative, helping founders turn promise into a clear, confident investment case.

Visibility & credibility

Bayer Foundation backing provides an institutional credibility signal, while global media visibility can reduce perceived risk and strengthen trust with decision-makers.

Ecosystem access

Impact Hub teams in 70+ countries surface strong women-led ventures in priority countries that traditional pipelines often miss.

Global network

Founders stay part of the Bayer Foundation alumni community and the Impact Hub Network, which continue to spark introductions, peer support and collaboration.

What women-led businesses are making possible

Thirty founders from the 2024 and 2025 cohorts reported what their businesses delivered. 

5.4M people

with better healthcare access and awareness

330k+ patients

with better access to healthcare services

59k+ farmers

with better productivity, markets and income

600k+ people

who gained access to nutritious food products

Two years of impact

Our partnership creates the conditions for women-led solutions to move from bold ideas to lasting systems change.

Hear it from the founders

Here’s what changed for their businesses after the Award programme, in their own words.

Scale innovation that matters

Women-led enterprises are already improving access to healthcare and strengthening food security for millions of people. Partner with us to help more founders grow their businesses and extend their impact.

Explore more impact work

Secret Link

Partner for impact

Ready to co-create change? Let’s explore how we can build impactful, scalable solutions together.

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