White Paper: Advancing Women Entrepreneurs in Emerging Market Economies
Our team is proud to present this year’s white paper, which dives into the evolving landscape of social entrepreneurship across emerging market economies, focusing on the challenges and opportunities faced by women entrepreneurs. Drawing insights from an extensive analysis of over 2,200 applicants for the Bayer Foundation Women Empowerment Award (WEA) 2024, the study uses a combination of structured and narrative-based questions to examine the profiles, barriers, motivations, and support needs of these remarkable women entrepreneurs.
This year’s findings reveal a notable increase in applications, growing from 931 in 2023 to 2,266 in 2024, reflecting the award's expanding reach and influence. The analysis highlights key challenges, such as gender bias and discrimination, particularly pronounced for younger, less experienced entrepreneurs.
Key Insights
Gender bias and discrimination remain pervasive challenges: Younger and less experienced women entrepreneurs face more pronounced gender-specific challenges, highlighting the need for targeted support.
Regional dynamics reveal diverse challenges and needs: The analysis highlights significant variations in challenges and support needs across regions, emphasizing the importance of localized and context-specific interventions.
A shift toward collective empowerment: This year, applicants demonstrated a growing commitment to empowering other women and addressing gender-related challenges through their entrepreneurial ventures.
Through initiatives like the Women Empowerment Award (from 2025: Women Entrepreneurs Award), the Bayer Foundation reaffirms its commitment to amplifying the voices of women entrepreneurs and equipping them with the tools and resources to scale their businesses and drive meaningful impact in health, nutrition, and climate innovation.
From 2025, the Bayer Foundation Women Empowerment Award will transition to the Women Entrepreneurs Award. This change reflects our commitment to using language that better supports and celebrates the varied journeys of women entrepreneurs. We recognize that these women already possess immense potential and capability and by updating the award's name, we aim to emphasize their innovation and leadership in driving social impact.
You can read more about Bayer Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurs Award here.
Our previous white paper on women entrepreneurs can be found here.
Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award 2025: Applications now open!
Are you a women-led enterprise building sustainable solutions in health or food security? This is your moment! Across Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East, we’re seeking 15 women who are ready to scale their ideas and create sustainable change. If you’re working on innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges in health and food security, now is the time to take your business to the next level.
Apply by February 18th, 2025!
