Top 15 Startup Competitions for Female Entrepreneurs in South America in 2025
The landscape for female entrepreneurs in South America is continually expanding, driven by competitions that aim to empower and showcase their innovations. In 2025, various competitions will be instrumental for women-led startups to gain visibility, funding, and mentorship. Here’s a detailed overview of the Top 15 Startup Competitions for Female Entrepreneurs in South America.
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1. WeXchange Women STEMpreneurs Competition
Description: This competition targets innovative women entrepreneurs in STEM across Latin America and the Caribbean, connecting them with funding opportunities.
Eligibility: Startups with at least one woman in the founding or C-suite, actively raising capital, with a strong tech component.
Incentives: Pitch opportunity to investors at the IDB Lab Forum, potential funding.
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2. Bayer Foundation Women Empowerment Award
Description: This award supports women-led enterprises focusing on sustainable health or food security solutions.
Eligibility: Female founders or part of the leadership team whose businesses tackle health or food security challenges.
Prizes: 6-month accelerator program, trip to the award ceremony, €25,000 cash support, visibility.
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3. LACE Virtual Acceleration Programs by INCAE
Description: A virtual training initiative for women entrepreneurs in Latin America and the Caribbean, promoting international trade participation.
Eligibility: Open to women entrepreneurs in the region.
Program Details: 100% online courses offering tools to grow and develop businesses.
4. VC4A Venture Showcase LatAm – Women Founder Edition
Description: This program highlights and supports women-led startups in Latin America.
Eligibility: Women-led startups with innovative solutions and growth potential.
Program Benefits: Showcase opportunities to investors, access to mentorship and community engagement.
5. Start Path Empodera (Mastercard)
Description: An acceleration program for women-led startups in the fintech and technology sectors in Colombia.
Eligibility: Women-led startups in relevant sectors.
Program Details: Offers personal mentoring from industry experts.
6. Giving Joy Grants
Description: These micro-grants support women launching or expanding businesses or nonprofits.
Eligibility: Women over 18 years of age.
Award: Micro-grants of up to $500.
7. Pitch Fest (SHE LATINA)
Description: An event showcasing Latin American women entrepreneurs’ business ideas in British Columbia.
Format: Pitch competition with judges and investors.
Prizes: $3,000 CAD.
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8. Women in Tech LATAM Awards
Description: An awards event recognizing outstanding female achievements in tech across Latin America.
Benefits: Winners are shortlisted for the WIT Global Awards.
9. Amber Grant
Description: Offers grants to women-owned businesses, with various categories for applications.
Eligibility: Women-owned businesses.
Award: At least $30,000 awarded each month, including $10,000 grants and larger end-of-year grants.
10. South Summit Brazil Startup Competition
Description: A competition aimed at startups in Latin America, providing growth opportunities and visibility.
Eligibility: Open to startups from all countries.
Benefits: Access to investors, networking, and development programs.
11. Women Who Tech Startup Challenge
Description: Targets women-led startups across various tech sectors.
Eligibility: Women-led startups with innovative projects.
Prizes: Cash grants, mentoring sessions, and access to investors.
12. Pitch for the Planet
Description: A global pitch competition focusing on sustainability innovations led by women.
Eligibility: Women entrepreneurs working on sustainable solutions.
Prizes: Funding and mentorship opportunities.
13. SheEO Activators Fund
Description: This network of women supports female entrepreneurs through funding and mentorship.
Eligibility: Women entrepreneurs with impactful businesses.
Prizes: Access to startups’ funding and networking opportunities.
14. Innovate Peru Women's Challenge
Description: A competition aimed at empowering women innovators in Peru.
Eligibility: Female entrepreneurs with innovative projects.
Benefits: Cash prizes, training, and mentorship opportunities.
15. Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi)
Description: An initiative aimed at reducing barriers faced by female entrepreneurs.
Eligibility: Female-led startups and projects focusing on sustainable growth.
Benefits: Funding and capacity-building support.
These competitions represent just a fraction of the growing support for female entrepreneurs in South America. Each initiative carries its unique set of benefits designed to uplift and empower women in business, making 2025 an exciting year ahead for female founders.
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FAQ
Q: What competition supports women entrepreneurs in STEM?
A: The WeXchange Women STEMpreneurs Competition connects innovative women entrepreneurs in STEM with funding opportunities. Learn more about WeXchange Competition.
Q: Which award focuses on health solutions by female founders?
A: The Bayer Foundation Women Empowerment Award supports women-led businesses addressing health or food security challenges. Discover Bayer Foundation Award.
Q: Is there an online program for women entrepreneurs in Latin America?
A: Yes, the LACE Virtual Acceleration Programs by INCAE offers online courses for women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. Explore INCAE Programs.
Q: Which program showcases women-led startups to investors?
A: The VC4A Venture Showcase LatAm – Women Founder Edition showcases and supports women-led startups in Latin America. Learn about VC4A Showcase.
Q: What is the focus of the Start Path Empodera program?
A: The Start Path Empodera program by Mastercard focuses on high-potential early-stage companies founded by women in fintech and technology. Discover Start Path Empodera.
Q: What are Giving Joy Grants?
A: Giving Joy Grants provide micro-grants up to $500 for women to launch or expand their businesses or non-profits. Check Giving Joy Grants.
Q: Where can Latina entrepreneurs pitch their ideas?
A: The Pitch Fest (SHE LATINA) offers a platform for Latin American women entrepreneurs to showcase their business ideas. Learn about Pitch Fest.
Q: What awards recognize female excellence in technology in LATAM?
A: The Women in Tech LATAM Awards honors female leaders in technology across Latin America. Explore Women in Tech Awards.
Q: How does the Amber Grant support women-owned businesses?
A: The Amber Grant provides grants to women-owned businesses, offering monthly awards of at least $30,000. Learn more about Amber Grant.
Q: What is the South Summit Brazil Startup Competition?
A: The South Summit Brazil Startup Competition provides visibility and growth opportunities for startups from all countries in Latin America. Discover South Summit Brazil.
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.
