The prize – a global start-up competition – empowers women social entrepreneurs with bold ideas to create positive social and environmental change in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Winners each receive grants of up to US$100,000 in funding, alongside executive education, world-class mentorship and access to global networks to launch and scale their start-up.
For the 2025 South Asia Edition, judges Desirée Bollier, chair and global chief merchant, The Bicester Collection; Dr Rubana Huq, vice chancellor, Asian University for Women; Priya Sigdel, social entrepreneur & media personality, Rishini Weeraratne, editor, The Sun (Daily Mirror) and head of social media, Wijeya Newspapers; and Paroma Chatterjee, CEO Revolut India, reached a unanimous decision, recognising the exceptional talent of six visionary innovators:
Amritha Krishnamoorthy (India), Stepping Stones Centre, SDG 4 (Quality Education): Transforming education and therapy for children with autism and developmental disabilities, so no child is left behind.
Jhillika Trisal (India) Cognitii, SDG 4 (Quality Education): Democratising access to quality education for children with special educational needs by combining AI with human special educators.
Sophiya Tamang (Nepal) Idea to Impact, SDG 2 (No Hunger): Turning surplus produce into fruit purees that nourish children, cut food waste, empower women farmers, and promote sustainable agriculture.
Nida Yousaf Sheikh (Pakistan) H2O Technologies, SDG 6 (Clean Water & Sanitation): Turning air humidity into safe drinking water to fight Pakistan’s water scarcity crisis, eliminate waste, and empower communities.
Nishat Anjum Palka (Bangladesh) Mommykidz, SDG 3 (Good Health & Wellbeing): A safe, affordable community where women and parents can access health information, care, and essential products without stigma.
Yangchen Dolkar Dorji (Bhutan) LEAD+, SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Empowering grassroots, women-led, and marginalised businesses with funding, mentorship, and market access—while fostering self-reliance and community resilience.
Launched in 2022, the Unlock Her Future Prize is supported by UN Women and impact partner Ashoka. The prize was created to close a clear gap: while women social entrepreneurs across the globe have the ideas and ambition to drive meaningful change, too often they lack the recognition, resources, and support to do so.
By combining the power of the private sector with philanthropic purpose, the prize creates a platform for women-led ventures to take root and scale from the ground up.
This year, the academic partner is Oxford University Saïd Business School, which will deliver world-class learning, mentoring and access to its global entrepreneurial network as part of the programme.
