Bayer Foundation backs 15 women entrepreneurs scaling urgent healthcare, food solutions

The Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award (BFWEA), powered by the Impact Hub Network, honours 15 women from Latin America, Africa & the Middle East, and Asia Pacific who are addressing critical challenges in healthcare and food security.

According to reports by the United Nations and World Health Organisation, nearly 295 million people globally face acute hunger and 2.33 billion live with food insecurity.

Against this backdrop, practical, scalable solutions are needed more urgently than ever.

Selected from 1,763 applicants across 117 countries, the 2025 winners are advancing innovations from AI-powered health diagnostics and climate-resilient farming to community-led nutrition models and circular economy approaches.

Since 2021, the Award has supported women entrepreneurs driving scalable solutions in these areas. Collectively, the 2024 and 2025 winner cohorts reached 3.68 million people with better healthcare, supported more than 69,000 smallholder farmers, and generated $3.93 million in additional rural income.

Chitkala Kalidas, Executive Director of Bayer Foundation, said, “We believe in the transformative power of social entrepreneurs to drive systemic change.

“To support their journey, we offer a multifaceted approach that includes funding, knowledge-sharing, strategic connections, and increased visibility.”

Beyond recognition: A platform for growth

Despite contributing 30 percent of GDP in emerging markets and influencing 70 percent of global consumption decisions, women entrepreneurs struggle to access capital, mentorship, and visibility, according to the World Economic Forum.

The Award addresses these gaps by providing each awardee a €25,000 cash prize, a six-month Accelerator Program, strategic mentorship, and entry into a global network through the Impact Hub Network.

Kalidas added, “Through our partnership with Impact Hub, we connect entrepreneurs to resources and networks that help scale their impact. This strengthens locally-driven responses to health and food challenges, while building sustainable innovation ecosystems.”

Proven results at scale

Since its launch in 2021, the Award has supported 55 women entrepreneurs whose ventures have created measurable impact in health and food security. In 2024, winners achieved an average revenue growth of 84 percent within six months, a testament to what’s possible when women entrepreneurs have the resources, networks, and visibility they need to lead change.

The 2025 cohort builds on this track record, addressing systemic challenges with solutions designed for global impact. All profiles of the 15 winners can be found on bayerfoundation-wea.com

Each year, Bayer Foundation publishes a white paper on the challenges of women entrepreneurs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), highlighting areas where greater support is needed. The 2025 Bayer Foundation White Paper offers actionable insights.