Top 15 Startup Competitions for Female Entrepreneurs in Asia in 2025
As the entrepreneurial landscape continues to develop in Asia, various organizations are creating competitions specifically aimed at supporting female entrepreneurs. These competitions provide aspiring female founders opportunities for funding, mentorship, and exposure. Below is a detailed overview of the Top 15 Startup Competitions for Female Entrepreneurs in Asia in 2025.
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1. The Bicester Collection's Unlock Her Future Prize 2025
Description: An annual startup competition focusing on female social impact entrepreneurs.
Target Region: South Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka)
Eligibility: Women aged 18+ with a startup idea that generates a positive and sustainable social impact.
Prizes:
- Business grants of up to $100,000
- Executive education program with Oxford University’s Saïd Business School
- Bespoke leadership coaching
- Access to expert mentors
- Exposure through The Bicester Collection's global network
- Key Dates: Applications are open until March 10, 2025, with winners announced in November 2025.
- Learn more about Unlock Her Future Prize
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2. Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award 2025
Description: This award seeks women-led enterprises creating sustainable solutions in health or food security.
Target Region: Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East (15 winners selected from all regions)
Eligibility: Women-led enterprises focused on health and food security solutions.
Prizes:
- €25,000 cash support
- 6-month accelerator program
- Visibility through branded communication activities
- Sponsored trip to the award ceremony
- Access to Bayer Foundation's alumni community and the Impact Hub Network
- Application Deadline: February 18, 2025.
- Discover Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award
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3. EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ Asia-Pacific Program
Description: This program identifies high-potential female founders and provides them with resources and connections.
Target Region: Asia-Pacific
Eligibility: High-potential female founders with profitable companies.
Benefits:
- Access to international networks and markets
- Strengthened executive leadership and business skills
- Increased public profile and visibility
- Commitments: Attendance at a three-day in-person conference and participation in two training sessions via video conference.
- Note: Applications for the 2025 program are now closed.
- Learn more about EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™
4. Musashi-Koyama Startup Support Center's Women's Business Grand Prix 2025
Description: A business plan contest for female entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs, focusing on innovative solutions.
Target Region: Shinagawa Ward, Japan
Eligibility: Female entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs residing in Shinagawa Ward.
Prizes: The Grand Prix winner will receive a cash prize of ¥300,000.
Key Dates: The final screening will occur on February 23, 2025. Entries were accepted until November 23, 2024.
5. Global Female Entrepreneurs Summit 2025
Description: A virtual summit designed for female startup founders seeking solutions to grow their businesses.
Target Audience: Female startup founders, entrepreneurs, investors, and more.
Format: Fully immersive virtual experience with keynote sessions, masterclasses, and networking opportunities.
Networking: Interactive virtual networking tables and rooms.
Key Dates: February 20-21, 2025.
6. Supernova Pitch Competition at GITEX ASIA 2025
Description: A pitch competition for presenting innovative ideas to global investors.
Target Region: Asia (Singapore)
Prizes: A chance to win from a prize pool exceeding $100,000.
Format: Pitch in front of global investors.
Key Dates: April 23-25, 2025.
7. AIM Congress 2025 Regional Startup Pitch Competition
Description: A regional pitch competition showcasing innovative technology startups.
Target Region: Competitions across several regions including ASEAN Countries and India.
Eligibility: Startups in Seed and Series A stages with scalability potential.
Prizes: Guaranteed investment for winners of the final rounds, totaling USD 200,000.
Key Dates: Regional competitions begin December 18, 2024; final rounds on April 7-8, 2025, with awards on April 9, 2025.
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8. The Global Entrepreneurship Program (#GEC2025)
Description: This program connects international innovators with Japan's business ecosystem for venture growth.
Target Region: International innovators interested in Japan.
Focus: Providing access to local expertise, networks, and resources.
Participants: Students, professionals, and startups.
Status: Ongoing (registration is closed).
9. Empowered Women Awards 2025
Description: Recognizes outstanding marketing campaigns led by women leaders in the industry.
Target Region: Asia-Pacific
Eligibility: Women marketing leaders (manager and above) from brands, agencies, or tech companies.
Focus: Creative event marketing strategies that drive attendance and achieve business goals.
Categories: Includes Outstanding Woman-Led Influencer Marketing Campaign.
10. KPMG Female Founders in Africa Competition
Description: Empowers women entrepreneurs in Africa through a pitch competition.
Target Region: Africa
Focus: Support for women-led ventures in various stages of growth.
Prizes: Winners in three categories: early-stage, growth-stage, and mature ventures.
Format: Regional winners advance to the final pitch competition.
11. SheMeansBusiness
Description: A global initiative by Facebook providing resources and mentoring for women entrepreneurs.
Target Region: Various regions including Asia.
Eligibility: Women at all stages of entrepreneurship.
Prizes: Access to exclusive resources, networking, and mentorship opportunities.
Focus: Empowering women to start and grow their own businesses.
12. Women Entrepreneurs on the Rise Pitch Competition
Description: Focuses on startups led by women tackling local social issues.
Target Region: Southeast Asia
Eligibility: Early-stage female-led startups.
Prizes: Cash prizes, mentorship, and a chance for media exposure.
Key Dates: Competition to be held in June 2025.
13. Asian Women Entrepreneurs Challenge 2025
Description: A challenge promoting female entrepreneurship across Asia with a special focus on innovative tech solutions.
Target Region: Asia
Eligibility: Female entrepreneurs with tech startups.
Prizes: Funding, mentorship, and access to a startup-friendly network.
Key Dates: Submit applications by September 2025.
14. Women Innovators Network Conference
Description: An event focusing on female innovators in tech-driven sectors providing a platform for pitches and networking.
Target Region: Asia and beyond.
Eligibility: Women-led tech startups and innovations.
Prizes: Opportunity for funding from leading investors and mentorship.
Key Dates: October 5-6, 2025.
15. Female Founders Foundation Grant Competition
Description: This competition is for female entrepreneurs seeking funding to launch or expand their ventures.
Target Region: Asia
Eligibility: Female founders across all sectors.
Prizes: Grants of up to $50,000 and mentorship opportunities.
Key Dates: Applications open until August 2025.
This comprehensive list highlights various opportunities for female entrepreneurs in Asia, showcasing both regional and sector-specific competitions. Through these initiatives, women entrepreneurs can gain the necessary resources to thrive and innovate in their respective fields.
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FAQ
Q: What annual competition supports female social impact entrepreneurs in South Asia?
A: The Bicester Collection's Unlock Her Future Prize 2025 focuses on supporting female social impact entrepreneurs in South Asia. Learn more about the Unlock Her Future Prize.
Q: Which award focuses on sustainability in health and food security for women-led enterprises?
A: The Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award 2025 recognizes women-led enterprises creating sustainable solutions in health or food security. Discover the Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award.
Q: What program identifies high-potential female founders in Asia-Pacific?
A: The EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ Asia-Pacific Program is designed for high-potential female founders with profitable companies. Learn more about the EY program.
Q: Where can female entrepreneurs in Japan participate in a local business plan contest?
A: The Musashi-Koyama Startup Support Center's Women's Business Grand Prix 2025 is a contest for female entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs in Shinagawa Ward, Japan. Find out more about the Women's Business Grand Prix.
Q: What virtual summit is tailored for female startup founders?
A: The Global Female Entrepreneurs Summit 2025 is designed for female startup founders seeking solutions to grow their businesses. Explore the Global Female Entrepreneurs Summit.
Q: In which pitch competition can participants present ideas to global investors in Singapore?
A: The Supernova Pitch Competition at GITEX ASIA 2025 offers a platform to present innovative ideas to global investors. Learn more about the Supernova Pitch Competition.
Q: What startup pitch competition advances regional winners to a final round?
A: The AIM Congress 2025 Regional Startup Pitch Competition showcases innovative technology startups and guarantees investment for final winners. Read more about AIM Congress.
Q: Which program connects international innovators with Japan's business ecosystem?
A: The Global Entrepreneurship Program (#GEC2025) connects international innovators with resources and networks to drive global growth in Japan. Find out more about the GEC program.
Q: What award recognizes outstanding event marketing campaigns led by women?
A: The Empowered Women Awards 2025 recognizes outstanding marketing campaigns led by women marketing leaders in the Asia-Pacific region. Discover the Empowered Women Awards.
Q: What competition empowers women entrepreneurs in Africa through a pitch competition?
A: The KPMG Female Founders in Africa Competition empowers women entrepreneurs in Africa by supporting early-stage, growth-stage, and mature ventures. Learn more about KPMG Female Founders Competition.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
