- The Women Entrepreneur Awards in Mauritius are back for their second edition, following the success of the first edition which saw six women entrepreneurs winning at the finals in October 2023. Applications are being launched on 6 May 2024.
- The awards will recognise the outstanding achievements of women entrepreneurs who have made a significant impact on their industries and communities.
- Participation in the awards is free of charge and the deadline for applications is 9 June 2024.
Women entrepreneurs in Mauritius are invited to submit their applications for the second edition of the Women Entrepreneur Awards, launched on 6 May 2024.
The Women Entrepreneur Awards (WEA) were created to encourage, support and empower and celebrate Mauritian female entrepreneurs from different sectors, and to showcase their contribution in the Mauritian economy. WEA was conceived with the goal to celebrate women’s achievements and successes, encompassing those at all stages of their company’s journey, from start-ups to medium or large companies.
The theme of this year’s edition will be in line with the UN’s theme of “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress”, with an emphasis on providing selected participants with skills and training to boost their entrepreneurial prospects.
The awards focus on recognising the outstanding achievements of women entrepreneurs who have made a significant impact on the industries and communities, whose business success is founded in their exceptional leadership, resilience and problem-solving skills. WEA seeks to showcase the diversity of talent and innovation of women entrepreneurs, based in Mauritius and Rodrigues, with a view to empowering them to make a positive impact in their communities.
WEA’s aim will be to add value to the women entrepreneurs applying for the awards and the selected participants will be offered the chance to join free and accessible workshops, regardless of whether they are selected for quarter, semi or finals. The workshops will be delivered by experts in their fields with subjects that will bring further insight to the female business leaders, in areas encompassing digital and financial literacy, while also emphasising the importance of good physical and mental health.
Eligibility criteria
Participation in the awards is free of charge. The awards are open to women-owned businesses where a woman is the sole shareholder, and also to women co-owned businesses, where the woman owns at least a 50% share of the business. Awards will be given under a number of categories, starting with those a turnover of less than MUR 1 million, with MUR 5-10 million of turnover, and rising to those over MUR 10 million.
A jury of experienced professionals, with a strong background and expertise in the entrepreneurial and wider business domain, will be announced shortly. The selection process will be based on objective criteria including business growth, innovation, leadership, and social impact, ensuring that each winner is truly deserving of the recognition.
Finals to be held in October 2024
The final of the awards is due to be held in October 2024, which will bring together successful entrepreneurs, business leaders and government officials to create an opportunity for attendees to network, share insights, and gain valuable knowledge from some of the most successful women entrepreneurs in the country.
In 2023, the inaugural awards were won by Elizabeth De Marcy Chelin – Chabert, My Pop Up Store Ltd (WEA Champion); Sharanaz Subratty, Casting World Ltd (Most Impactful Award); Stephanie Bouloc, La Déchetèque Ltée (Most Sustainable Award); Farrah Jahangeer, Sustainable Energies For Aprica Ltd (Most Innovative Award); Pierre Louis Marie Paule, Eco Ballade Ltd (Most Promising Start-Up Award); Stephany Noëllis, Lullaby Production Ltd (Zenlife) (Special Jury Award).
Recognising the contribution of women entrepreneurs
Commenting on this year’s edition, Kirti Sheonarain, Founder and Co-Chair of the Women Entrepreneur Awards, said:
“Women in Mauritius need more representation. They should not only be provided with a platform to showcase their talents and achievements, but they also need to be celebrated and supported. This is our philosophy and what we are building Women Entrepreneur Awards around.”
“When we launched WEA last year, our goal was to create an initiative that brought together female entrepreneurs to showcase, promote and celebrate their contribution in our Mauritian economy. Thanks to the invaluable support of our sponsors, partners and collaborators, we were able to have a successful edition. This year, we look forward to adding more value to our female entrepreneurs through our workshops and networking events that will bring all our stakeholders together.”
Speaking about the wider opportunities offered by the Women Entrepreneur Awards, Samantha Seewoosurrun, Co-Chair, said:
“Through the first edition of the Women Entrepreneur Awards, we did not only recognise worthy winners but also built a community. We received great feedback from those who participated at all levels of the competition, saying that they made new contacts, clients and friends to support them and also gained useful knowledge and understanding from the workshops. If you are a woman entrepreneur in Mauritius we truly encourage you to take part this year.”
“To help us expand our awards and community even further this year, we would be pleased to welcome new sponsors, partners and collaborators to join WEA in 2024. We look forward to hearing from like-minded people and organisations ready to join us on our journey.”
How to apply
Candidates are invited to submit their online application by 9 June 2024 at midnight here:
Those interested in sponsorship or partnership opportunities are invited to get in touch at contact@womenentrepreneurawards.com.
