The Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards, created in 2006, are a joint partnership project initiated by Cartier, the Women’s Forum, McKinsey & Company and INSEAD business school to encourage women entrepreneurs.
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Process
Six Laureates, one from each continent (Asia & Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and North Africa, North America, Sub-saharan Africa) are honoured annually for the creativity, financial sustainability and social impact of their start-up businesses.
The prize includes a place on an INSEAD Executive Programme, a US$100,000 Grant (money), international media exposure and networking and coaching opportunities.
History of the Awards
In 2006, Cartier supported the very first edition of the Women's Forum for the Economy and Society, an international gathering designed to promote women’s vision on issues of global relevance.
In 2006, Cartier and the Women’s Forum joined forces with McKinsey & Company and INSEAD business school to create the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards that aim to support female entrepreneurs through mentoring, funding, networking opportunities and media visibility.
The very first Laureates were awarded in 2007. Since the creation of the Award, 32 entrepreneurs have received the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards.
The competition
Phase I - Three finalists from each of the six regions (Latin America, North America, Europe, Sub-saharan Africa, Middle East and North Africa and Asia-Pacific) are selected in the first round of the competition. These 18 Finalists receive coaching to move to the next phase where they submit a detailed business plan and defend their projects verbally in front of the Jury.
Phase II - The 18 Finalists are invited to attend the Awards Week and the 6 Laureates are nominated during the Awards Ceremony which up until 2015, was traditionally held at the Annual Global Meeting of the Women’s Forum in Deauville.
The finalists and Laureates are selected by regional juries composed of entrepreneurs, economists, business men and women, entrepreneurship advocates etc. They are chosen on the basis of their entrepreneurial experience, their business achievements and their commitment to the support of women entrepreneurs. The Jury's involvement is long-term and voluntary.
The coaching of the finalists and Laureates is conducted by Cartier managers, McKinsey & Company consultants, INSEAD alumni and INSEAD MBA students.
Women of all nationalities and all sectors of industry and country may apply.
Past Laureates
2015
Asia & Pacific: Hannah Chou & Momo Huang , OurCityLove Social Entreprise, Taiwan
Europe: Ciara Clancy, Beats Medical, Ireland
Latin America: Komal Dadlani, Lab4U, Chile
Middle East and North Africa: Mouna Abbassy, Izil Beauty, UAE
North America: Alexandra Greenhill, myBestHelper, Canada
Sub-Saharan Africa: Chinwe Ohajuruka, Comprehensive Design Services, Nigeria
2014
Asia & Pacific: Diana Jue and Jackie Stenson, Essmart Global, India
Europe: Carla Delfino, Imperial Europe, Italy
Latin America: Liar Bel Pesce, Diploma de Picareta FazINOVA, Brazil
Middle East and North Africa: Mariam Hazem, Reform Studio, Egypt
North America: Eleni Antoniadou, Transplants Without Donors, United States
Sub-Saharan Africa: Achenyo Idachaba, MitiMeth, Nigeria
2013
Asia & Pacific: Namita Banka, Banka Bioloo, India
Europe: Leonora O'Brien, Pharmapod, Ireland
Latin America: Gabriela Maldonado, Jugando Aprendo, Guatemala
Middle East and North Africa: Sima Najjar, Ekeif.com, Jordan
North America: Priyanka Bakaya, PK Clean, United States
Sub-Saharan Africa: Bilikiss Adebiyi, Wecyclers, Nigeria
2012
Asia & Pacific: Lianna Gunawan, La Spina Collections, Indonesia
Europe: Cécile Réal, Endodiag, France
Latin America: Gabriela Flores, Kirah Design, Bolivia
Middle East and North Africa: Iba Masood, Gradberry.com, United Arab Emirates
North America: Ting Shih, ClickMedix, United States
Sub-Saharan Africa: Julienne Ingabire & Elizabeth Scharpf, Sustainable Health Enterprises, Rwanda
2011
Asia & Pacific: Chunhong Chen, Yiyuan Environmental Group, China
Europe: Kresse Wesling, Elvis & Kresse, United Kingdom
Latin America: Carolina Guerra, Ingerecuperar, Colombia
Middle East and North Africa: Rana El Chemaitelly, The Little Engineer, Lebanon
North America: Benita Singh and Summer Rayne Oakes, Source4Style, United States
Sub-Saharan Africa: Lorna Rutto, EcoPost, Kenya
2010
Africa: Ann Kihengu, Prian, Tanzania
Asia: Gouthami, Travel Another India, India
Europe: Wendy McMillan, Who to Ask?, United Kingdom
Latin America: Valentina Peroni, Nutribaby, Argentina
North America: Birame Sock, Third Solutions, United States
2009
Africa: Jife Williams and Adeola Asabia, MN Environmental Services, Nigeria
Asia: Kimberley Ong, AlgaVentures, Philippines
Europe: Kristin Pétursdóttir and Halla Tómasdóttir, Audur Capital, Iceland
Latin America: Rosario Monteverde and Magdalena Rodríguez, PRO Internacional, Uruguay
North America: Una Ryan, Waltham Technologies, United States
2008
Africa: Mame Diene, Karistal, Senegal
Asia: Renee King, Tamang Timpla Food Inc., Philippines
Europe: Laura Chicurel, Chicurela, United Kingdom
Latin America: Cynthia Guy, Instituto de Implantes Cocleares, Panama
North America: Mona S. Jhaveri, Foligo Therapeutics, United States
2007
Africa: Lucie Avoaka, Santa Maria Medical Center, Côte d'Ivoire
Asia: Nandini Pandhi and Yasmina McCarty, GreenMango, India
Europe: Bettina Götzenberger, Lomaslegal, Spain
Latin America: Antonia Sanin, The Globe, Colombia
North America: Angel Chang, Angel Chang LLC, United States