World region: Asia Pacific

Tahina Booth
Founder & Managing Director, Grass Skirt Project
Papua New Guinea

Tahina Booth is a Papua New Guinean and Australian systems architect, strategist, and former elite athlete who is turning sport into social and economic infrastructure across the Pacific. She is the Founder and Managing Director of Grass Skirt Project (GSP), a Papua New Guinea–led organization using sport to build safer communities, strengthen women’s and youth leadership, and expand pathways to health, employment, justice, and economic participation. GSP’s impact is delivered through three integrated platforms: GymBox community fitness hubs, the 10 Million Strong curriculum for youth leadership and peacebuilding, and the Hevea Cup national rugby league initiative. Her work sits within a rapidly expanding global sector: women’s elite sport revenues are projected to exceed USD 3 billion in 2026, and the global sports economy is forecast to grow toward USD 8.8 trillion by 2050. GSP is 84% PNG‑staffed, 85% locally procured, and recognized in PNG’s National GBV Strategy 2026–2035. Tahina serves on the boards of Pacific Women Lead and LifeLine International and publishes with The Lowy Institute on Pacific sovereignty, sport, and capital design. She also holds a Certificate in Sports Philanthropy from The George Washington University School of Business.

Tahina’s business supports the following SDGs: 

SDG 5: Gender Equality
SDG 3: Good Health and Well Being
SDG 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions

World region: Europe & North America

Macarena Cataldo Hernandez
Co-founder & CEO, Viridis Research Inc.
Canada

Dr. Macarena Cataldo Hernandez is a chemical engineer and entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience developing and commercializing advanced water treatment technologies. As CEO and Founder of Viridis, she leads the company’s vision, strategy, and execution, translating breakthrough science into scalable industrial solutions. She is the technical architect behind Viridis’ proprietary electro-oxidation system, designed to remove persistent pollutants and enable water reuse in textile manufacturing. Dr. Cataldo has been recognized with the InnovateBC Sustainability Award, the Spring Impact Challenge Award, and the HardTech Award. Macarena holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Politecnico di Torino, an MSc in Chemical Engineering from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, and a Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology Commercialization from the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University.

Macarena’s business supports the following SDGs: 

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
SDG 5: Gender Equality
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

World region: Latin America & Caribbean

Madeleine Valderrama
Co-founder & CEO, Bruna.ai
Chile

Madeleine Valderrama is the Co‑Founder and CEO of Bruna.ai, a Chilean deep‑tech company using predictive artificial intelligence to help industrial sectors reduce variability, optimize resource use, and improve operational decision‑making. With a background in industrial engineering and applied technology, she has led Bruna.ai’s expansion across Latin America and Asia, supporting clients in mining, agriculture, aquaculture, food production, and manufacturing. Her work focuses on transforming complex industrial data into practical tools that reduce waste, improve productivity, and advance sustainable production systems. Madeleine is also a strong advocate for women in STEM and deep tech, championing gender equity and demonstrating the global potential of Latin American innovation. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Industrial Civil Engineering with a specialization in information technology and project management from the Universidad de Chile, and she completed the Draper Nation Americas Hero Training program for startup founders.

Madeleine’s business supports the following SDGs: 

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG 5: Gender Equality
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

World region: Middle East & North Africa

Rudayna Abdo
Founder & CEO, Stichting Thaki Nederland
Lebanon

Rudayna Abdo is the founder and CEO of Thaki, an award-winning organization dedicated to empowering vulnerable children in the Middle East through e-learning and digital literacy initiatives. A former urban planner with leadership experience across public, private, and nonprofit sectors in North America and the Middle East, she brings a systems‑level approach to education access and digital equity. Rudayna serves on multiple boards and advisory groups, mentors early‑stage ventures, and frequently contributes to global conversations on education, technology, and social impact through publications, podcasts, and public speaking. She holds a Master of Urban Planning from McGill University and a Bachelor of Science in Art and Design, with a concentration in Architecture, from MIT.

Rudayna’s business supports the following SDGs: 

SDG 4: Quality Education
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal

World region: Sub-Saharan Africa

Divina Stella Maloum
Founder & Regional Coordinator Africa, Children for Peace
Cameroon

Divina Stella Maloum is a peace scientist and Humanitarian‑Development‑Peace (HDP) Nexus specialist advancing systems‑level solutions. As Founder and Regional Coordinator of Children for Peace, she designs evidence‑driven, multi‑country interventions that have reached more than 10,000 beneficiaries and trained over 50,000 youth in peacebuilding, civic leadership, and social cohesion across fragile African contexts. A United Nations Youth Champion for Disarmament, she bridges grassroots action with global policy, contributing to environmental peacebuilding initiatives with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). She also serves as a Future Energy Leader with the World Energy Council, advocating for a just and inclusive energy transition. Her leadership has earned international recognition, including the International Children’s Peace Prize, for work integrating artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and systems governance to design scalable, peace architectures in fragile contexts. Divina has advanced undergraduate training in Artificial Intelligence and Big Data at the University of Keyce.

Divinia Stella’s business supports the following SDGs: 

SDG 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
SDG 4: Quality Education
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth