Meet the 21 finalists for 2019 Cartier Women's Initiative Awards

Dedicated to female entrepreneurs who redefine the rules for business, families and society across the world.

Since 2006, Cartier has been partnering with INSEAD business school and McKinsey & Company to empower women entrepreneurs from different fields with the Cartier Women's Initiative Awards (CWIA).

Back for another year in 2019, the Cartier Women's Initiative Awards has grown from 360 to nearly 3000 applicants in less than a decade, where it supports women who contribute significant impact across different industries such as science, health and education.

With the growth in both quality and quantity, Cartier has supported 184 companies and approximately 80% of them are still running today. For the 2019 edition, Cartier increased the number of finalists from 18 candidates in 2018 to 21 of them.

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And this year, Cartier will be flying the 21 finalists to the Awards Week Programme, set to take place in San Francisco, where seven laureates, each for one region, will be awarded. This also marks the first time Cartier extended to seven regions, where Asia-Pacific is divided into two regions – Far East Asia and Southeast Asia & Oceania.

Themed 'The Ripple Effect', the 2019 ceremony will be paying tribute to men and women entrepreneurs who push the boundaries of what is possible within their communities and the broader society and CWIA will also continue its partnership with TED this year to host conversations and interactive session to inspire more talents during the Awards Week Programme.

Swipe the gallery to meet the 21 finalists now:

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Priya Prakash, HealthSetGo, India -Comprehensive health services for schools encompassing health education, medical assessments, insurance services and health infrastructures.

Margaret Magdesian, Ananda Devices, Canada -New models of human brain, spinal cord and innervated tissues using stem-cell and organ-on-a-chip technology to accelerate drug development.

Marcela Torres, Holacode, Mexico -Integration for displaced migrants in Mexico through software engineering training, financial inclusion and job opportunities in tech.

Emily Levy, Mighty Well, United States -Functional and stylish apparel and accessories catering to the needs of people with long-term illness.

Tracy O’Rourke, Vivid Edge, Ireland -Energy efficiency supplied as a service for large organisations.

Caitlin Dolkart, Flare, Kenya -A subscription-based emergency-response infrastructure that centralises ambulance dispatch and connects Kenyans to life-saving services.

Carmina Bayombong, InvestEd, Philippines -An investment platform providing student loans to underserved youth using a proprietary credit rating algorithm.

Zineb Agoumi, EzyGain, France -An affordable space-saving and connected gait rehabilitation device that secures patients at the pelvis and monitors their progress.

Aline Sara, NaTakallam, Lebanon -An online platform connecting refugees with people seeking language classes and translation services.

Claire Yan, Cobbler’s Suggest, China -Online leather goods repair service that reduces environmental waste and boosts income for artisanal cobblers.

Fariel Salahuddin, UpTrade, Pakistan -A bartering service enabling off-grid rural communities to exchange livestock for solar-powered water pumps and home systems.

Reine Abbas, Spica Tech, Lebanon -Video-game development classes and online sessions for children aged 6 to 16.

Hibah Shata, Maharat Learning Center, UAE -A learning centre offering behavioural therapy and educational support to children and young adults with special needs.

Yeon Jeong Cho, SAY Global, South Korea -An online language service that trains retired seniors in Korea and connects them to Korean language learners worldwide.

Sylke Hoehnel, SUN bioscience, Switzerland -A medical hardware device that cultivates organoids, mini-organs derived from stem cells, to provide personalised drug efficacy tests.

Ran Ma, Siren, United States -Smart socks for diabetics made of Neurofabric, a proprietary technology fitted with micro-sensors to monitor foot temperature and guard against foot ulcers.

Tatiana Pimenta, Vittude, Brazil -An online mental health platform connecting psychologists with patients seeking therapy for stress, anxiety or depression.

Saaya Nakayama, SHE Inc., Japan -Onsite subscription-based school offering digital and creative skills-training, co-working, mentoring and job placement services for a new generation of Japanese women.

Chebet Lesan, BrightGreen Renewable Energy, Kenya -Affordable charcoal briquettes made from post-harvest agricultural biomass waste, sold for cooking and heating purposes.

Liza Velarde, Delee, Mexico -A blood test that detects the presence of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) in cancer patients, enabling physicians to better monitor progress of the disease.

Manka Angwafo, Grassland Cameroon Ltd., Cameroon -Services to enhance African food supply chains through affordable asset-based financing to smallholder farmers.

For all 21 finalists, each of them has received a winning package that includes personalised business coaching, entrepreneur workshops, enrolment in an INSEAD programme and US$30,000, while the seven laureates crowned in San Francisco will receive an additional US$100,000 in prize money.

The 7 laureates will be announced at the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards ceremony on 2 May 2019, at San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture. Watch this space for more updates on the awards.

Discover more about the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards at www.cartierwomensinitiative.com