Cartier Women's Initiative 2027
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Quick Answer
Cartier Women's Initiative 2027 closed on 16 June 2026. Grants of US$30,000 to US$100,000 (about ₹28.5 lakh to ₹95 lakh) plus a fellowship for women-led impact businesses; no next call announced.
- Funding amount
- Varies
- Funding type
- Grant
- Provider
- Cartier Women's Initiative
- Application deadline
- Closed
- Location
- International
Results & next round
Applications for this round closed on 16 June 2026. The organiser has not published a selection list that we can verify yet.
Selections for this programme are announced by Cartier Women's Initiative. Official links are listed under Sources below.
We update this page when results are published, and when the next round opens.
About this grant
The Cartier Women's Initiative 2027 call is closed. Applications closed on 16 June 2026 at 2 PM CEST (5:30 PM IST), and the official page now says applications are closed for the 2027 edition. The page gives no dates for a next round, so use this page to prepare for a future call.
The Cartier Women's Initiative is an annual program that backs women impact entrepreneurs. The Regional Awards are open to businesses from any country and sector, which means Indian founders can apply; India falls within the South Asia and Central Asia region, one of nine regions.
What the program offers
In each of the nine regions, the top three businesses become fellows. First place gets a US$100,000 grant (about ₹95 lakh), second place US$60,000 (about ₹57 lakh) and third place US$30,000 (about ₹28.5 lakh). There is also a separate Science and Technology Pioneer Award for businesses built on hard-to-copy scientific or technical advances.
Beyond the money, fellows join a fellowship running January to December of the award year. It includes media and communication workshops with on-site filming, a 2.5-day in-person INSEAD program, a week of awards events, one-to-one business training, about 28 hours of individual executive coaching, international visibility, mentorship from jury members and access to a community of more than 500 members. Fellows report on their impact for three years after completing the program. The grant may be subject to local tax, which the fellow is responsible for paying.
Who can apply
This is for businesses that already have traction. The applicant must be a woman in a main leadership role such as CEO, COO, CTO, General Manager or Managing Director. The business must be for-profit, with annual revenue between US$50,000 and US$5 million in its last closed financial year, a team of 5 to 250 people, and no more than US$2 million raised in equity or SAFE-style funding. It must show positive impact tied to at least one UN Sustainable Development Goal, be incorporated, be majority owned by its founders and team (with the applicant holding at least as large a share as each co-founder), and be independent rather than a spin-off or franchise. The applicant must be 18 or over, have good English (CEFR B2 or above) and commit to the full fellowship year. Past participants cannot apply again. It is a poor fit for pre-revenue ideas, non-profits and very large companies.
How to apply
Complete the online application, uploading all documents with it. Required are a one-minute video, a resume, company registration, a cap table, two years of professionally prepared or audited financial statements and a pitch deck of about 15 pages. Optional extras are a competitive landscape and up to three more attachments. The form cannot be submitted late. Read the applicant guide and scoring criteria on the Regional Awards page first.
How applications are judged and what happens next
Applications are screened for eligibility and then scored on impact intentionality and embeddedness, impact objectives and measurement, market analysis and fit, a sustainable business and financial model, strategy and execution, the team, and leadership character. For this edition, applicants were due to hear back by December 2026 and fellows to be announced in spring 2027. The official page lists no review dates of its own, so confirm the timeline for any new call.
About the Cartier Women's Initiative
The Cartier Women's Initiative describes itself as an annual entrepreneurship program supporting women-run and women-owned businesses with social or environmental impact. Its community of fellows is a core part of the offer.
Things to check before you apply
- No next call is announced. The program has run every year, but dates for a new edition must come from the official page.
- The fellowship includes in-person parts, including filming, the INSEAD program and awards week, so plan time and travel.
- Audited or professionally prepared financials for two years are required; start gathering them early. A practical tip: get your cap table and impact metrics clean before the call opens.
- Awards are in US dollars; Indian recipients should check FEMA and tax treatment with an adviser.
Eligibility
See if you're eligible
Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Sign up to view.
Grant providers
Benefits & Funding
- Fund type
- Grant
- Equity
- Equity-free
- Repayment
- Non-repayable
What You Get
Each of the nine regions names three fellows. First place gets a US$100,000 grant (about ₹95 lakh), second place US$60,000 (about ₹57 lakh) and third place US$30,000 (about ₹28.5 lakh). The program does not dictate how the grant is spent, but fellows must follow its impact-reporting policy, and the grant may be taxed locally. Fellows also get leadership and media training, an in-person INSEAD Women's Impact Entrepreneurship program, about 28 hours of one-to-one business and leadership coaching, jury mentoring and media exposure.
- Disbursement
- Lump Sum
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Selection Process
Applications are screened for eligibility, then scored on impact intentionality, impact objectives and measurement, market fit, the business and financial model, strategy and execution, the team, and leadership character. The top three businesses in each of nine regions become fellows.
Application Process
- 1
Online application
Submit the form, video, financials and pitch deck.
You - 2
- 3
- 4
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Draft your application
Answer the form inside the grant tracker — AI drafts each response using your past answers, so you're not starting from a blank page.
- 2
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 3
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Cartier Women's Initiative 2027 call still open?
No. Applications closed on 16 June 2026 at 2 PM CEST, and the official page says the 2027 edition is closed. No next call dates are given.
Can Indian businesses apply to the Cartier Women's Initiative?
Yes. The Regional Awards are open to businesses from any country, and India falls under the South Asia and Central Asia region.
How much is the grant?
First place in each region gets US$100,000 (about ₹95 lakh), second US$60,000 (about ₹57 lakh) and third US$30,000 (about ₹28.5 lakh).
Is it a grant or equity?
It is a grant, and the program does not take equity according to the pages reviewed. The grant may be subject to local tax, which the fellow pays.
Can non-profits apply?
No. The business must be for-profit, though it does not need to be profitable yet. B Corps and similar structures are accepted if they are not mainly reliant on donations or grants.
What documents are needed?
A one-minute video, resume, company registration, cap table, two years of professionally prepared or audited financial statements and a pitch deck of about 15 pages. All uploads go with the online form.
Do fellows have to travel?
The fellowship has in-person parts: on-site filming, a 2.5-day INSEAD program and an awards week. The source reviewed does not say who pays travel.
Is it free to enter?
The pages reviewed state no application fee. Confirm on the Regional Awards page when a new call opens.
When are results announced?
For the 2027 edition, applicants were due to hear by December 2026 and fellows to be announced in spring 2027.
Can I apply again if I was not selected?
Yes, if the business still meets every criterion. Businesses that were selected as fellows before cannot apply again.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
