Deadline: April 19, 2026
Applications are invited for the BRICS Women’s Startups Contest 2026. The Women’s Startups Contest 2026 marks as the prestigious initiative led by the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (BRICS WBA), aimed at empowering and accelerating women-led startups across BRICS nations. This year, India takes the lead, underscoring its strong commitment to promoting women-led development, innovation, and entrepreneurship on the global stage.
Building on the success of the previous editions, the 2026 edition continues to spotlight innovative, high-impact women-led enterprises, fostering crossborder economic integration, collaboration, and knowledge exchange within the BRICS ecosystem. The initiative provides a dynamic platform for visibility, networking, and business expansion, enabling women entrepreneurs to scale their ventures and engage with investors, industry leaders, and policymakers across BRICS countries.
Categories
- Healthcare and wellbeing
- Agriculture & Food security
- Education & skill development
- Energy, infrastructure & mobility
- Commerce, service & digital transformation
- Sustainable development & climate solutions
Awards
- Start-ups will be evaluated across six categories. Winners will be selected under each development stage, culminating in 18 finalists.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of BRICS nations (Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the UAE), currently operating in one or more BRICS markets, and actively exporting or supplying within these markets.
- Must hold a key leadership position (Founder, Co-Founder, or equivalent).
- Must play an active role in the startup’s operations & strategy.
- Multidisciplinary teams with diverse expertise are encouraged.
- Demonstrate the long-term social, economic, or environmental impact and sustainability of the solution.
- Provide evidence of a viable business model, market demand, and any existing traction or growth.
- Clearly describe the solution, the problem it addresses, and its innovative and scalable features.
- Demonstrate alignment with BRICS priorities and the potential to scale, replicate, and create impact across BRICS countries.
Application
Applicants are required to submit:
- Business pitch (maximum 5 pages, PDF format).
- Link to a short video presentation (maximum 3 minutes).
- Financial and operational summary (if available).
- Proof of eligibility (citizenship/residency or business registration document).
For more information, visit Women’s Startups Contest.
