Deadline:
April 25, 2025
Program Starts: September 22, 2025
Program Ends: September 29, 2025
Location(s)
Online United States of America
New York
Overview
The WE Empower Challenge is a global business competition for women entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs who are advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and inspiring entire communities to create the world we want by 2030.
Details
Five awardees from around the world are selected to receive an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City, NY during the UN Global Goals week (September 22-29, 2025) to engage in high profile events with UN officials and to participate in a series of tailored trainings by leading and supporting partners.
Our Objectives
- Honor: Honor innovative women entrepreneurs who are supporting and achieving the SDGs through sustainable business practices and inspiration for others to follow suit.
- Invest: Invest in the most inspiring and transformational women entrepreneurs – providing access to seed capital, unique trainings, capacity building, a network of their peers, visibility and credibility for their work.
- Ignite: Ignite awareness among a global community of stakeholders of the valuable contribution women entrepreneurs can make in contributing to the SDGs and the obstacles they still face.
How to Apply
Applications open 4 March 2025. Apply by 25 April 2025.
- Register an account and apply today!
- Complete your application (you may save your progress)
- Attach your 2-minute video
- Submit your entry
Applicants are required to complete and submit an online application, which includes a two-minute video. The online application process may take up to one hour to complete.
Any incomplete applications, or any applications received after 25 April 2025 will not be considered. Applications submitted without the two-minute video will not be considered.
What to Expect
Applicants must answer basic identifying information about themselves, their business and their primary country of business. Applicants must identify which world region they are located in from the following regions:
- Europe and North America
- Middle East and North Africa
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Asia-Pacific
- Latin America and Caribbean
The application requires answers about how your work relates to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and your vision for a sustainable future.
The application asks you how you will help foster gender equality through your work.
Applicants will be asked to answer several security questions, provide social media profile information (if applicable), and agree to the terms and conditions within the contest entry form.
Finally, applicants must submit a two-minute video using the following guidelines.
Video Specifications
Please submit a short video of yourself (maximum of two minutes) providing the information and answering the questions listed below, in English. A video submission is a required part of the competition.
In designing your response, please remember that less attention is paid to the quality of your video and more attention is given to the quality of your response. It is acceptable, if you wish, to make your short video using a smartphone. Videos will not be judged past the two-minute mark.
What to answer in your video
- What is your full name?
- What is the name of your business or organization and your job title?
- In which country does your business or organization primarily operate?
- What is the mission of your business or organization?
- How does your work advance the UN SDGs that you selected?
- What is the impact of your activities on the UN SDGs?
- What do you hope to achieve if you are selected as a winner?
How to submit your video
- Video attachments may be hosted on a video site such as YouTube or Vimeo, or on file-sharing websites such as Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.
- Please provide password in the space provided if video is password-protected or ensure video has permission to be viewed with link, especially if using Google Drive.
- You may also upload a video file. File size should not exceed 20 MB and preferred file types are MP4, MOV, and WMV.
- Video may be a maximum of two minutes. Videos will not be judged past the two-minute mark.
- Please do not upload any written material or promotional videos as they will not be considered.
- It is acceptable to make your short video using a Smartphone.
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Application Requirements
The WE Empower Challenge is a global business competition for women entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs who are advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals and inspiring entire communities to create the world we want by 2030.
Eligibility
To be eligible to enter this competition, applicants must meet all of the following criteria. Finalists will be required to provide evidence of sales (i.e. tax returns and/or audited financial records).
- You must identify as a woman entrepreneur.
- You must have lead decision-making ability within your entity.
- Your business or organization must have been in operation for at least three years as of August 1, 2025.
- You must employ at least three full-time employees or full-time equivalents.
- Your business or organization must generate a minimum of $75,000 in annual revenue. For nonprofit organizations, revenue may comprise donations, grants, and funds raised through various fundraising activities.
- You must be professionally proficient in English.
- You must be at least 21 years old by August 1, 2025.
- You must be available to travel to New York, NY, and participate in all events from September 22 – September 29, 2025, and if necessary, able to participate in a virtual program from August through December 2024.
Considerations
Applicants will be assessed based on a variety of factors, including the following considerations.
- Ability to commit to the entire week of in-person program – no exceptions
- Willingness to help shape the community dialogue about women’s advancement and the SDG’s in their region, and wield the influence necessary to do so.
- Must be able to secure a US visa.
Applicants with more than one business or organization, please complete the application regarding the business/organization THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS ON during this Global Challenge opportunity, if you are selected to participate in the program.
Dates
Deadline: April 25, 2025
Program starts:
September 22, 2025
Program ends:
September 29, 2025
Program Starts: September 22, 2025
Program Ends: September 29, 2025
Cost/funding for participants
Prize package includes
The WE Empower UN SDG Challenge Regional Awardees will receive an all expenses paid trip to New York to participate in special events during the UN Global Goals Week (22 September – 29 September 2025)
- All flights, accommodations and incidentals while in New York.
- A special curated week-long agenda in New York with individualized trainings, high level dialogues at the UN, and coaching on communications and speech prep in preparation for the pitch evening night.
- Participation in an evening event hosted by Diane von Furstenberg that brings together top business leaders, celebrities and the media for a dynamic pitch competition where each Regional Awardee presents her business to pitch for a $20,000 cash grant.
- Attendance at a high-level dialogue with senior UN Officials, the Council of Women World Leaders and the Women Political Leaders Global Forum
- Featured as speakers in a panel discussion at an intimate high-level dinner reception hosted by the G5 Collective and Vital Voices. The G5 Collective is a coalition of high-level leaders across sectors all dedicated to jump-starting progress around UN SDG Goal #5 and the women related targets across the other 16 Goals.
- Participation in Global Citizen week events including attending the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
