The Cartier Women's Initiative Awards aim to encourage the most vulnerable category of entrepreneurs in their most vulnerable phase: women entrepreneurs starting up.

The annual competition involves two rounds:

Round 1 (in June): The Jury selects fifteen Finalists, the top three projects of each region (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America), 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 five 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.

The competition is designed to give all participants an opportunity to gain perspective and confidence by stimulating cross-cultural exchanges.

For more information and scholarship applications, see: Cartier Women's Initiative Award

More: International Awards » Women Awards » Entrepreneur Awards