South Asian Women Entrepreneurs Take Center Stage in Global Social Impact Prize

The Bicester Collection has unveiled the South Asian finalists of its Unlock Her Future Prize, an annual initiative designed to elevate women social entrepreneurs creating measurable change. The program, launched in 2022, selects a different region each year and offers funding, mentorship and global exposure to women who are leading high-impact ventures rooted in social equity and sustainability.

 

Why South Asia Was Chosen in 2025?

 

This year, the spotlight turns to South Asia, a region home to over two billion people but with some of the lowest levels of female participation in the formal economy. Chantal Khoueiry, Chief Culture Officer at Value Retail, which owns The Bicester Collection, explains that South Asia represents one of the most dynamic yet underserved regions when it comes to women’s entrepreneurship. In India alone, over 90 percent of the 15 million women-owned MSMEs still rely on informal finance, revealing a systemic funding gap and a vast opportunity to drive structural change.

 

Record-Breaking Applications and a Rigorous Selection Process

 

Close to 3,000 women applied to the 2025 edition of the prize, with more than half the applications coming from India. After an intense review, 11 finalists have been selected for their potential to reshape systems across sectors such as education, health, artisan livelihoods and environmental justice. All ventures are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and designed for scalable impact.

 

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A Comprehensive Package of Support

 

The winning entrepreneur will receive up to $100,000 in grant funding alongside a year-long mentorship by Ashoka, one of the world’s largest networks of social innovators. Oxford University’s Saïd Business School will provide leadership training, and the finalists will also participate in a live pitch session and strategic bootcamp designed to refine their business models and accelerate growth.

 

Judges Bringing Global and Regional Perspective

 

The panel includes industry leaders and cultural icons such as Desirée Bollier of The Bicester Collection, Rubana Huq of the Mohammadi Group and Asian University for Women, Sri Lankan logistics pioneer Tania Polonnowita Wettimuny, and Nepali entrepreneur Priya Sigdel. Each judge brings regional expertise and a shared commitment to increasing female leadership in business.

 

Breaking Barriers in a Challenging Ecosystem

 

Rubana Huq highlighted the gender gap in South Asian entrepreneurship, where only 18 percent of firms are owned by women. She believes that Unlock Her Future goes beyond grant-making. It creates a platform for women to access the capital, confidence and community needed to bring their ideas to life and build long-term systems change.

 

Solutions Born in the Region with Global Resonance

 

According to Khoueiry, this year’s finalists are blending technology, grassroots wisdom and local ownership to challenge the status quo. Whether it is circular fashion, equitable childcare, or artisan-led economic models, these women are not just solving problems, they are reframing the systems that created them. What emerges is not just innovation, but deep and deliberate transformation.

 

A Global Stage for South Asian Innovation

 

The winners will be announced in London on 19 November 2025, coinciding with Women’s Entrepreneurship Day. The ceremony will also unveil the next regional focus of the prize for 2026, as The Bicester Collection continues to build a global ecosystem that elevates local changemakers. Khoueiry hints that the next destination will be both unexpected and deeply relevant.

 

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Unlock Her Future Is About More Than Capital

 

At its core, the Unlock Her Future Prize is not simply about awards or visibility. It is about restoring agency to women who are solving some of the most pressing challenges of our time. It reflects a broader movement to use the power of commerce and community to amplify social innovation. For South Asia’s rising generation of women entrepreneurs, it signals that their ideas are not just valid, they are vital.

 

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