Women entrepreneurs across the world are invited to apply for the 2026 TiE Women Program, an international startup initiative offering mentorship, investor access, and a $50,000 equity-free prize for high-potential businesses led by women.
- Women entrepreneurs across the world are invited to apply for the 2026 TiE Women Program, an international startup initiative offering...
- The programme, organised by TiE Global, aims to support women founders seeking to scale their ventures through business education, global...
- The programme is open to startups founded or co-founded by women, provided that female founders hold at least 33 per...
- Organisers say the prize allows founders to retain ownership of their businesses while accessing growth capital.
Keep reading for the full breakdown on Business Growth — everything you need to know is covered below.
The programme, organised by TiE Global, aims to support women founders seeking to scale their ventures through business education, global networking opportunities and direct engagement with investors. Applications remain open until 25 June 2026.
Global Push for Women-Led Innovation
The TiE Women initiative is part of a broader effort to increase opportunities for women entrepreneurs, who often face barriers to accessing funding and business support. The programme operates across multiple countries through TiE Global’s international chapter network.
According to organisers, the initiative focuses on six core areas: mentorship, learning, scalability, community building, access to funding, and the creation of safe entrepreneurial spaces for women founders.
The programme is open to startups founded or co-founded by women, provided that female founders hold at least 33 per cent of the business’s equity. Eligible companies must also have been registered on or after 1 January 2019 and should be less than seven years old. Early-idea-stage ventures are not eligible.
Funding, Mentorship and Investor Access
Participants selected for the programme will receive mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs, investors and industry experts. Training sessions will focus on areas such as business growth, leadership, investor readiness and international expansion.
The competition will culminate in a global pitch event during the TiE Global Summit in December 2026, where finalists will compete for the top $50,000 equity-free award. Organisers say the prize allows founders to retain ownership of their businesses while accessing growth capital.
In addition to the cash award, participating startups will gain visibility within global investment networks and startup ecosystems. Founders will also connect with other entrepreneurs through regional competitions and knowledge-sharing sessions.
Programme Timeline Announced
The application process officially opened on 8 March 2026. Following the June deadline, selected entrepreneurs will move into regional mentoring and pitch rounds running between June and August.
Semi-final rounds are scheduled for September, with finalists advancing to the global summit later in the year. The programme will include expert-led sessions on fundraising, business strategy and scaling operations internationally.
TiE Global says the initiative has already supported hundreds of women-led startups worldwide. Previous editions attracted more than 11,000 applications from 62 countries and helped accelerate more than 500 businesses through mentoring and investment-readiness support.
Organisers have also warned applicants to avoid fraudulent payment requests, stressing that the programme does not charge any application or participation fees.
Interested applicants can apply through the official webpage.