UN Women Care and Climate Accelerator 2025 offers $100K to women-led and gender-diverse enterprises
Applications are now open for the UN Women Care and Climate Accelerator 2025, offering grants of between US$5,000 and US$100,000 to women-owned, women-led, and gender-diverse enterprises across the Asia-Pacific region.
Organised by UN Women with support from the Visa Foundation, the accelerator is designed to boost the growth of small businesses operating in the Care Economy, the Green Economy, or at the intersection of both. The UN Women Care and Climate Accelerator 2025, aims to expand economic opportunities for women, foster gender-responsive business models, and strengthen climate resilience in the region.
The Asia-Pacific region faces mounting pressures from climate change while also grappling with underinvestment in care services that disproportionately affect women. By focusing on these two interconnected areas, the accelerator is set to unlock both social and environmental impact. Participating enterprises will receive tailored support to refine operations, expand networks, and enhance financial readiness all while embedding gender equality in their growth strategies.
The UN Women Care and Climate Accelerator 2025, will deliver capacity-building in six key areas: strategy, operations, inclusive business models, networking, financial readiness, and gender responsiveness. Selected enterprises will also gain access to grants that can be used to scale their innovations, expand market reach, and strengthen organisational capacity.
Who can apply
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be a for-profit registered enterprise with operations in South Asia or Southeast Asia
- Have been in operation for at least two years, with an established product-market fit and revenue generation
- Be woman-owned or woman-led, or have a gender-diverse founding team
- Operate within the Care Economy, the Green Economy, or at their intersection
Enterprises should also demonstrate a commitment to creating or improving livelihood opportunities for women in the region.
Benefits
Enterprises selected for the UN Women Care and Climate Accelerator 2025 will receive:
- Grant funding between US $5,000 and US $100,000 (for selected enterprises)
- Bespoke support across six critical business areas: strategy, operations, inclusive business models, networking, financial readiness, and gender responsiveness
- Access to networks of mentors, investors, and development partners
- Enhanced visibility and credibility through association with UN Women and the Visa Foundation
How to apply
Interested enterprises should visit the UN Women Care and Climate Accelerator 2025 page to review the full eligibility criteria and submit an online application. Applicants will be required to provide details of their business model, market traction, and proposed impact within the Care or Climate sectors.
Applications will be assessed based on alignment with programme objectives, potential for scale, and the degree of gender responsiveness in business operations.
Deadline
Applications close on August 31, 2025. Late submissions will not be considered.
Do you have an innovative business (small, mid-scale business or startup) that adds value, creates opportunities or solves bold problems? Then you`ve got a story worth telling? Shoot us an email with the subject “Story Worth Telling (+Name of Business)” to [email protected]
