Pakistani female entrepreneurs vie for award offering potential investment of $100,000 capital
In the realm of philanthropy and sustainability, The Bicester Collection's DO GOOD programme has taken a significant step forward with the Unlock Her Future Prize 2025. This competition aims to identify and support visionary women social entrepreneurs, particularly those leading female-led startups in South Asia with not-for-profit business ideas or early-stage ventures of less than three years.
This year, the competition has garnered a remarkable response, with 11 finalists hailing from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and Maldives. Among these, two Pakistani startups, Haball and PostEx, have also made it to the Forbes Asia 100 To Watch list.
One of the finalists from Pakistan is Namra Khalid, whose startup, Community Climate Design, empowers communities to lead climate adaptation. Her organisation restores saline lands, implements nature-based flood defences, and strengthens disaster preparedness to reduce climate risk sustainably.
Another Pakistani finalist, Khushbakht Shah Jillani, is a child custody and divorce lawyer who has set up Mehfooz AI, a justice tech nonprofit using generative AI to support domestic violence survivors.
Aiza Salik's company, MyHisaab, is a purpose-led fintech app that empowers women and first-time earners to build financial confidence. Meanwhile, Nida Yousaf Sheikh's H2O Technologies aims to deliver over 500 million litres of safe drinking water to underserved communities by 2030.
Maha Shahzad, Founder and CEO of BusCaro, believes safe, affordable commute is a basic right. Her startup focuses on providing solutions for this essential need. Shaista Khalid's FitHer, on the other hand, is a virtual wellness platform offering AI-personalised workouts, nutrition plans, and expert coaching to help communities stay healthy, active, and connected from home.
The winners of the Unlock Her Future Prize 2025 will receive comprehensive support to launch and scale their startups. This includes financial capital of up to Rs1m, university support from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford (which acts as the academic partner for the award), mentorship, and networking opportunities.
The excitement is building as the winners of the Unlock Her Future Prize 2025 will be announced at a gala awards ceremony in November in London. The event promises to be a celebration of these visionary women and their transformative ideas.
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