BRICS has officially launched a competition aimed at spotlighting and supporting women-led startups that are delivering practical, high-impact solutions to local and global challenges. The BRICS Women’s Startups Contest 2025 was announced under Brazil’s current presidency of BRICS, with applications open until 4 May 2025. Finalists will be selected for a week-long accelerator programme and awards ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.
The competition is coordinated by Brazil’s National Confederation of Industry (CNI), the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (SEBRAE), and the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (BRICS WBA). The initiative anticipates participation from up to 2,000 women entrepreneurs across BRICS member and partner countries, a reflection of the bloc’s intent to anchor economic inclusion in its broader innovation strategy.
Eligible participants include startups from the 10 BRICS member states along with companies based in key BRICS partner nations including Nigeria, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Cuba. Finalists will compete across six categories: health and well-being; agriculture and food security; education and skills; energy and infrastructure; digital transformation; and sustainability.
Eighteen winners will travel to Brazil in July 2025 for networking sessions, investor meetings, and a live pitch event at the BRICS Business Forum. All expenses will be covered, including travel, accommodation, and cash prizes.
The contest forms part of Brazil’s broader effort to reframe the BRICS development agenda through the lens of inclusion and grassroots innovation. The project aims to create lasting economic opportunities for women founders while forging deeper trade and innovation linkages across the Global South.
