In a world increasingly defined by innovation with purpose, The Bicester Collection continues to position itself at the vanguard of global philanthropy. This year, as the brand celebrates its 30th anniversary, it honours a new generation of changemakers through the Unlock Her Future™ Prize 2025 — South Asia Edition. The announcement, drawn from more than 2,900 applications across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, reveals eleven bold entrepreneurs whose ventures exemplify ingenuity, resilience and transformative impact aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The Unlock Her Future Prize — the flagship initiative of The Bicester Collection’s DO GOOD philanthropic programme — is more than a global start-up competition. It is a catalyst: a platform designed to elevate women social entrepreneurs whose ideas hold the power to redefine systems, uplift communities and reshape the future. Supported by UN Women and impact partner Ashoka, the Prize provides each winner with grants of up to US$100,000, alongside executive education, world-class mentorship and access to global networks through which their visions can be amplified and scaled.
Launched in 2022, the Prize was born of a clear conviction: that while women around the world possess extraordinary ideas and ambition, they are too often constrained by limited access to capital, visibility and opportunity. By merging the influence of the private sector with philanthropic purpose, The Bicester Collection has created a launchpad where visionary women can turn ingenuity into impact — and where local ideas grow into global movements.
This year’s academic partner, Oxford University Saïd Business School, deepens the programme’s promise. Its faculty and entrepreneurial network will provide the intellectual rigour, strategic guidance and global exposure essential for building resilient, scalable ventures.
Since inception, the Prize has travelled the world — MENA in 2023, LATAM in 2024, and now, poignantly, South Asia in 2025. Past winners have redefined sustainable luxury, circular materials and women’s health: from Nuhayr Zein’s Leukeather in the UAE, creating plant-based alternatives to exotic leather, to Valentina Agudelo’s Salva Health in Colombia, pioneering AI-guided breast screening technology. These success stories are emblematic of the Prize’s defining ethos — a ripple effect of solutions that transcend borders.
For The Bicester Collection, this year’s South Asia Edition is particularly meaningful. The region’s communities maintain deep ties with the UK, and millions of South Asian guests visit The Bicester Collection’s Villages in Europe, China and the USA each year. The 2025 Prize-giving, returning to Bicester Village during its milestone anniversary year, becomes not just a celebration of entrepreneurship, but a celebration of cultural connection and shared purpose.
Themes Defining the 2025 Cohort
Among the thousands of applications, three themes emerged with striking clarity — each reflecting the urgency of the moment and the promise of innovation driven by women:
Health & Wellbeing: Transformative digital platforms expanding reproductive healthcare; AI-powered diagnostics; and pioneering menopause solutions that empower women to take ownership of their health at every stage of life.
Financial Inclusion & Economic Empowerment: Ventures unlocking access to capital, skills, training and dignified employment — creating pathways to long-term economic resilience and independence.
Climate & Sustainability: Innovations that embed sustainability from inception — from biodegradable materials and circular fashion to clean-water technologies that safeguard communities and the planet.
Meet the 2025 Finalists
The eleven finalists represent brilliance across disciplines, geographies and generations, yet share a single unifying thread: each is reshaping the future through purpose-driven enterprise.
• Amritha Krishnamoorthy (India), Stepping Stones Centre – SDG 4: Elevating education and therapy for children with autism and developmental disabilities, ensuring every child receives the support they deserve.
• Jhillika Trisal (India), Cognitii – SDG 4: Merging AI with specialised educators to democratise access to quality education for children with special needs.
• Khushbakht Shah Jillani (Pakistan), MehfoozAI – SDG 15: A trauma-informed AI tool supporting judges and lawyers to process domestic violence cases with greater speed, fairness and compassion.
• Prapti Mittal (India), Indoartisans – SDG 8: A digital marketplace granting artisans fair pricing, global visibility and modern distribution — preserving India’s craft heritage.
• Rubina Raut (Nepal), Wuka – SDG 5: Tackling period poverty with reusable menstrual underwear that reduces waste while creating employment for women.
• Sophiya Tamang (Nepal), Idea to Impact – SDG 2: Transforming surplus produce into nourishing fruit purées that reduce waste, empower women farmers and support child nutrition.
• Shali Chopra (India), Gytree – SDG 3: India’s first dedicated menopause-care platform, offering personalised health solutions and community-based support.
• Shenali Nimanthini Wijesinghe (Sri Lanka), VÃYU Health – SDG 3: Providing affordable, confidential access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, mental-health resources and gender-based violence support.
• Nida Yousaf Sheikh (Pakistan), H2O Technologies – SDG 6: Converting humidity into clean drinking water — a sustainable, scalable solution to Pakistan’s water scarcity crisis.
• Nishat Anjum Palka (Bangladesh), Mommykidz – SDG 3: A safe, stigma-free platform where women and parents access essential health information, care and community.
• Yangchen Dolkar Dorji (Bhutan), LEAD+ – SDG 10: Empowering grassroots and women-led businesses through mentorship, funding and market access to build community resilience.
These innovators — from health to climate, education to equality — represent the next chapter of social entrepreneurship in South Asia.
As Chantal Khoueiry, Chief Culture Officer of The Bicester Collection, reflects:
“These finalists are not just entrepreneurs — they are proof of the incredible talent and vision in South Asia. They are launching ventures and building movements that turn urgent challenges into bold solutions, with the power to ripple far beyond the region. From health and education to climate and inclusion, they show that social entrepreneurship is one of the strongest forces for lasting change. Through the Unlock Her Future Prize, we amplify their voices, accelerate their journeys, and stand alongside women whose leadership is shaping the future.”
In bringing these extraordinary women to a global stage, The Bicester Collection underscores a deeper truth: that luxury today is no longer defined solely by aesthetics or experience, but by the impact we choose to champion. And in celebrating these leaders, the Unlock Her Future Prize is not merely investing in ventures — it is investing in the future we all share.
