The Cartier women’s Initiative has unveiled its 2024 fellows. Thirty-three women were selected for the annual program representing the top three businesses for each of the nine regional awards and for the two thematic awards.
Each is recognized for their achievements and meaningful solutions to pressing global challenges. This year, for the first time, the Cartier Women’s Initiative has recognized women impact entrepreneurs from Peru, Morocco and Vietnam.
The first, second and third place award winners of each of the 11 awards will be revealed during the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards Ceremony on May 22 in Shenzhen, China. The first-place awardees will take home $100,000 in grant funding, while the second and third place awardees will receive $60,000 and $30,000, respectively. In addition to the grant funding, all 33 fellows will benefit from tailored mentoring and coaching, media visibility, networking opportunities and education courses from the leading business school INSEAD.
North American finalists include Canadian Kyla Bolden, founder of Wiz Kid Learning. Bolden started the company while in college after seeing that coding skills enabled candidates to get jobs more quickly. Wiz Kid Learning shrinks the tech education gap with a learning platform providing coding and STEM classes to give children an education that will prepare them for the future. From the U.S., Julia Taylor, founder of GeekPack, a welcoming community to teach digital skills where participants, especially women and other marginalized people, feel comfortable learning, thereby building the confidence that empowers them to pursue jobs requiring digital skills. Also from the U.S., gender equity specialist Jessica Menon, founder of Equilo, which offers advanced analytics tools that make identifying gender issues faster, less costly and more effective than traditional manual methods.
Last year, a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award was launched, the first award category that is open to all genders. The North American fellows for this award include Sadriye Gorece of Blind Look and Erica Cole of No Limbits.
Since its inception in 2006, the Cartier Women’s Initiative has supported more than 330 impact entrepreneurs from nearly 70 countries who are working to solve global challenges through sustainable social and environmental impact. Each year, Cartier grants more than $2 million in funding, and has awarded more than $9.5 million in funding to finance each entrepreneur’s mission-driven business.
