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The ladies from APAC who made it into the finals of the Cartier Women’s initiative

Out of the 21 finalists of the 2020 edition of the Cartier Women’s initiative, 6 hailed from the Asia Pacific region. Here’s who they are

By Valerie Wong - 

Photo: Cartier
Photo: Cartier
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On Mar 26, Cartier announced the 21 finalists of the Cartier Women’s Initiative, an initiative by the French luxury house to empower women who are using their business for good. But at this stage, all are already winners. All 21 will be awarded financial advisory services,  one to one strategy coaching, media visibility, international networking opportunities, as well as a place on an INSEAD executive education programme. 

However, the 7 laureates, who will be announced in early June 2020, will be bagging a cash prize on top of all that - the laureate from each region will take home US$100,000, while the second and third runner ups will receive US$30,000. 

For the past 14 years, the Cartier Women’s Initiative has supported female entrepreneurs from 56 countries whose businesses have a strong and sustainable social and environmental impact as defined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. But this year alone saw 1200 applications from 162 countries, and it was the first time that countries like Australia, Benin, Denmark, New Zealand and Sweden were represented. 

“At Cartier, we believe it is crucial to support young businesses and start-ups through to a more stable period. And this is what we intend to keep doing, fully aware that these women are making a concrete and durable impact, therefore paving the way for a better future,” said Cyrille Vigneron, president and CEO of Cartier International. 

Here at the 6 women from the APAC region who made it this far.

Nini Mao, China, Very FQ

Credit: Cartier
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With years worth of financial planning experience, Nina started Very FQ, a financial literacy education company which educates Chinese families through gamified programs for both parents and children. The company channels the resources of wealthy families and the banking sector to bring basic financial literacy to poorer families. For every three families paying full tuition, the company offers services for free to one family in poverty.

Weini Qiu, China, Haalthy

Credit: Cartier
2/6

To address the data analysis gap for a variety of cancers, Weini founded Haalthy in 2016. The platform uses AI-powered social media tools to help cancer patients understand and manage their disease, discover optimal treatments, and make more informed decisions with the ultimate aim of lowering treatment cost.

Charlotte Wang, China, EQuota

Credit: Cartier
3/6

Charlotte is just one of the millions of Chinese who has suffered from the effects of China's fine particle pollution. After having her first child in 2012, she founded EQuota to focus on managing energy data to improve efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in hopes of achieving cleaner air. She compares her comapany's tools to personal fitness trackers as users are able to obtain real-time information on their behavior so they can make healthier choices.

Jenna Leo, Australia, Home Care Heroes

Credit: Cartier
4/6

Loneliness and social isolation are serious issues in Australia, with one in four people reporting that they feel lonely. Home Care Heroes tackles this problem by connecting people in the community on a needs basis (rather than random). People who want companionship fill out a request form on the Home Care Heroes website which will begin the process of members and caregivers choosing each other.

Lisa King, New Zealand, Eat My Lunch

Credit: Cartier
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Inspired by the buy-one-give-one business model of Toms shoes, Lisa decided to adopt a similar one to tackle the invisible problem of child poverty and food insecurity in New Zealand. After 5 years of operation, the company has documented an increase in kids’ health, well-being, and attendance in school.

Joanne Howarth, Australia, Planet Protector Packaging

Credit: Cartier
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When working as an outsource partner of Australia’s largest meal kit subscription service in 2014, Joanne realised the devastating effects of polystyrene - a type of plastic used for keeping things cool or hot during transport. She then founded Planet Protector Packaging in 2015 to provide a sustainable (compostable and biodegradable) alternative to polystyrene: waste wool.

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