Gala reception and Women in Business Award Ceremony

The need for ideas, inspiration and role models has never been more urgent than amid today’s waves of crises.

The Women in Business Award ceremony celebrates purpose-driven enterprises led by women entrepreneurs which deliver real social impact good jobs, solid opportunities, and sustainable business models.

The success of many of the women entrepreneurs presented below are emblematic of their power and creativity. Their distinctive passion, strength, and commitment to make a difference by bringing to life new ideas, break glass ceilings and create new pathways for themselves and their communities shows how the landscape of entrepreneurship is changing, and overcoming potential risks related to gender, cultural, structural and societal challenges.

The Empretec Women in Business Awards is part of UNCTAD’s Empretec capacity-building programme for entrepreneurs and small business owners. To raise awareness of the economic and social impact of women’s underrepresentation in business and to showcase outstanding women entrepreneurs from developing countries, UNCTAD launched the Awards in 2008. The Awards, granted every two years, have made a real impact on the lives of past recipients, improving their access to further training, widening their markets and boosting their motivation to continue growing their enterprises.

From a pool of 88 applicants from 26 countries, three distinct panel of experts selected eighteen women whose businesses showed outstanding traits of innovation, leadership and impact on communities. 

Master of Ceremonies: Ms. Linda Okero

Award design by Mr. Jay Udo-Udoma

Empretec award finalists: Ms. Maria Eduarda Franklin da Costa de Paula, CEO & Co-founder, Orby, Brazil  |  Ms. Norsavina Kaharudin, CEO, VNI SCIENTIFIC SDN. BHD., Malaysia  | Ms. Fatoumata Njie, Founder and CEO, Yaxare, The Gambia | Ms. Jovia Kisakye, Founder & CEO, Sparkle Agro brands, Uganda  |  Ms. Iram Maimuna, CEO, E-waste social, India  |  Ms. Dina Abdul Majeed, Founder & CEO, 360Moms Jordan  |  Ms. Marianela Pavicich, Co-founder, Robbina inclusive design, Argentina  |  Ms. Ararat Tamirat, Founder, TUBA BY ARARAT, Ethiopia  |  Ms. Selamawit Tomas, Owner and CEO, COOL, Ethiopia  |  Ms. Laura Villagómez, CEO, DIYCLUB Fashion and Sewing Academy, Ecuador

Technology award finalists: Ms. Jessica Anuna, CEO of Klasha, Nigeria  |  Ms. Mylene Chua-Magleo, Co-Founder & CEC of Paynamics, Philippines  |  Ms. Amanda Etuk, Co-Founder of Messenger, Nigeria  |  Ms. Afia Fitriati, CEO of Gadjian, Indonesia  |  Ms. Nazish Hussain, Founder of Secret Stash, Pakistan  |  Ms. Anum Kamran, Founder, Buyon, Pakistan  |  Ms. Nadia Uwamahoro, Founder & CEO of Data Systems Ltd, Rwanda  |  Ms. Uju Uzo-Ojinnaka, CEO of Traders of Africa,, Nigeria

Panels of experts: Ms. Joy Ajlouny, Founder, Fetchr, Unites States  |  Mr. Jerry Allen, Director of Entrepreneurship, University College London, United Kingdom  |  Ms. Mercedes Rosalba Aráoz Fernández, Full-time Professor, Department of Economics, Universidad del Pacífico, Peru  |  Ms. Cate Ambrose, CEO & Board Member, Global Private Capital Association, United States of America  |  Ms. Bisila Bokoko, CEO & Founder, Ms. Bisila Bokoko Embassy International, Inc. , Spain  |  Ms. Raechel Boyko, Ms. Cristina Calvo & Ms. Adrienne Palmer, Entrepreneurs & Members, Entrepreneurs Organization, United States of America  |  Mr. Mario Cerutti, Chief Institutional Relations and Sustainability Officer, Lavazza Group, Italy  |  Ms. Somachi Chris-Asoluka, CEO, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Nigeria  |  Ms. Vanina Farber, Dean of Executive MBA, IMD Lausanne, Switzerland  |  Ms. Cristina Fernández, Vice President, Global Entrepreneurship Network, Paraguay  |  Prof. Désirée van Gorp, International Business, Nyenrode Business University, The Netherlands  |  Ms. Sana Kapadia, Director of strategy, 2x Global, United Arab Emirates  |  Ms. Bogolo Kenewendo, Program Leader, Molaya Kgosi - Women Leadership and Mentorship Program, Botswana  |  Mr. Clarence Leong, Founder & CEO, EasyParcel, Malaysia  |  Ms. Reina Irene Mejia Chacon, Special Advisor to the Executive Vice President, Inter-American Development Bank, Honduras  |  Mr. Sushil Ram, Advisor, The Commonwealth Secretariat, India  |  Ms. Ileana Tejada, Senior Advisor, Caribbean Export Development Agency, Dominican Republic  |  Ms. Anita Tiessen, CEO, Youth Business International, United Kingdom  |  Mr. Brian A. Wong, Managing Director, Seacliff Partners Limited Advisor, Hong Kong SAR China