The Bicester Collection is doubling down on impact in Asia, unveiling 11 East and Southeast Asia-based finalists for its 2026 “Unlock Her Future” Prize, all women founders using business to tackle local social and environmental challenges while advancing the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.

The finalists, who stood out from 1,500 that applied, hail from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam and are all in charge of initiatives that span gender equality, technology, social welfare, education, craft preservation, and more.

After discovering six winners for last year’s South Asia edition, Bicester has chosen East and Southeast Asia as this year’s regional focus, an area described by Chantal Khoueiry, chief culture officer of The Bicester Collection, as “a region rich in entrepreneurial energy, but where many women founders still face barriers to funding, networks and opportunities to grow,” said Khoueiry.

Now in its fourth edition, the Unlock Her Future Prize has supported women founders from 39 countries, across 16 of the 17 U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, with a cumulative funding commitment of around $900,000.

This year’s winners will be eligible for funding of up to $100,000, alongside access to education, mentoring and a global support network

On the technology front, Indonesian venture Her Lens uses artificial intelligence to help community midwives expand cervical cancer screening in remote areas, while Korean platform Giboo applies AI to connect funders with high-impact social projects, aiming to get philanthropic capital to the issues that need it most. Singapore’s Tech Up Advance focuses further upstream, broadening access to STEM education for children with special education needs; its model already reaches 500 schools across six markets.

Other founders are turning overlooked or undervalued resources into sustainable businesses. In Indonesia, Birufinery is building a higher-value market for the country’s abundant seaweed by developing biostimulant products for agriculture. In China, The Visible Hands is repositioning traditional crafts within the contemporary creative economy, offering women artisans a route to a stable income while preserving techniques and cultural narratives. Thailand’s Bamboo Family Market, which began with six artisans, has evolved into a community craft platform empowering more than 60 women and a local cultural destination in its own right.

Several projects are focused on economic empowerment and safety for women at the margins. Malaysia’s Moms Village Asia works with survivors of domestic violence to create sustainable corporate-gifting products, turning craft skills into income and a path back to independence. Vietnam’s Tam Nhung Social Enterprise brings mental health and legal support directly into factory communities to serve migrant women workers who might otherwise struggle to access such services. Bumbi of Indonesia is manufacturing breathable cloth diaper and menstrual pads handmade by local women and people with disabilities.

China’s 38Fixers targets another male-dominated space: technical trades. The venture trains professional women home repair technicians, positioning skilled manual work as a viable path to financial independence. Singapore-based School on Cloud, meanwhile, helps women become education entrepreneurs and brings learning opportunities into communities where formal schools are scarce.

The 2026 program is backed by U.N. Women, with Ashoka as impact partner and NYU Shanghai as academic partner. In October, the finalists will convene in Shanghai for an entrepreneurship boot camp hosted by NYU Shanghai, cross-market exchanges and a final pitch to a regional jury, with winners to be announced on Oct. 23.

Through this year’s new collaboration with NYU Shanghai, which plays an integral role in building entrepreneurship, emerging technology and innovation on the ground, Khoueiry said that the realities of the winners will become a resource that can inform research, shape investment thinking, influence policy, and open new conversations about what women actually need to start, sustain and grow their ventures.

However, for Khoueiry, the week in October is not about competition but an opportunity to foster sisterhood. “A MENA winner and a South Asia finalist met at last year’s ceremony. They are now business partners. Nobody engineered that. It happened because remarkable women found each other and recognized what they could build together,” said Khoueiry.

“The week is so much bigger than the pitch. The boot camp at NYU Shanghai, the conversations over dinner, the moments between sessions where someone says something that completely changes how you see your own venture — that is where the magic happens,” said Khoueiry.

For The Bicester Collection, which has been positioning itself not just as a luxury outlet destination but as a platform for culture and social innovation, Shanghai’s role as host city underscores China’s strategic importance as a hub connecting regional talent, creativity and purpose-driven business.

“The Bicester Collection has deep roots here through Suzhou Village and Shanghai Village, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, making this a particularly meaningful moment to champion the women shaping the region’s future,” added Khoueiry.