First-of-its-kind global competition for women social entrepreneurs who are advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
WE Empower
WE Empower UN SDG Challenge
Congratulations 2026 WE Empower Global Finalists!
Launched at the UN General Assembly in 2018 by the UN Secretary‑General, the President of the World Bank, and the Council of Women World Leaders, the WE (Women Entrepreneurs) Empower UN SDG Challenge is the first global competition recognizing innovative women entrepreneurs advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and inspiring communities to build a more sustainable and equitable world by 2030. Co‑Chaired by the Chief Economist of the World Bank Group; Diane von Furstenberg, Founder and Chairwoman of DVF Studio; Amanda Ellis, Senior Director at ASU’s Global Futures Laboratory; and Alyse Nelson, President and CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership, the Challenge champions leaders whose enterprises are reshaping communities, economies, and ecosystem. Awardees are recognized for their groundbreaking work and receive capacity-building training, visibility, and access to an unparalleled global network to advance their enterprises. The program highlights and elevates the essential contributions of women entrepreneurs and business leaders who are driving progress toward the SDGs and addressing the world’s most urgent challenges.
In 2026, Awardees will participate in the Villars Institute hosted Villars Symposium in Villars‑sur‑Ollon, Switzerland from June 14–20, joining global leaders, systems thinkers, and more than 140 Villars Fellows. Throughout the week, Awardees will engage in pitch‑coaching sessions, tailored trainings led by our partners, and high‑level engagements with the United Nations and leading global organizations such as the World Economic Forum and the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A highlight of the week will be the WE Empower Pitch Challenge, generously hosted by Canadian Ambassador Patricia McCullach at the Permanent Mission of Canada on Thursday, June 18.
The WE Empower Challenge is co-convened by ASU Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory and Vital Voices Global Partnership.
Rudayna Abdo (Lebanon)
Founder & CEO, Stichting Thaki Nederland
Tahina Booth (Papua New Guinea)
Founder & Managing Director, Grass Skirt Project
Macarena Cataldo Hernandez (Canada)
Co-founder & CEO, Viridis Research Inc.
Divina Stella Maloum (Cameroon)
Founder & Regional Coordinator Africa, Children for Peace
Madeleine Valderrama (Chile)
Co-founder & CEO, Bruna.ai
Lead partner spotlight
The WE Empower Challenge is supported by a number of fantastic partners.
BMO
BMO is a leading bank driven by a single purpose: to boldly grow the good, in business and life. Every day, they continue to set their sights higher, inspired by their purpose and energized by the opportunity to create positive change for the customers and communities they serve.
P&G
P&G brands are trusted in millions of living rooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and bathrooms—and have been passed down from generation to generation. Over the course of 181 years, they’ve challenged convention, led innovation and helped shape culture. But no matter how much the company grows, they always keep themselves grounded in their deep-rooted purpose, values and principles. They’ve done it for over 66,000 days, and they don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
RELX
RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers, enabling them to make better decisions, get better results and be more productive.
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