About the opportunity
The InnovateHERs Scholarship Challenge aims to empower young women pursuing careers as entrepreneurs and business leaders. Facing biases, stereotypes, and financial hurdles, female founders often lack dedicated resources. InnovateHERs provides real funding to female-identifying high school students with bold business ideas. Applicants showcase their entrepreneurial skills by submitting a structured two-page business plan evaluated on innovation, vision, market need, and financial viability.
Funding and benefits
- $500 scholarship award for 1 winner
- Recognition and platform for entrepreneurial business ideas
- Direct disbursement of award funds to the winner's academic institution for tuition or qualified educational expenses
Who can apply?
- Must be a female-identifying student
- Must be currently enrolled as a high school student
- Must have an interest in pursuing business and plans to build a career as an entrepreneur or business leader
- Open to both US domestic applicants (via Bold.org) and international applicants (via Google Form)
Required documents
- A two-page business plan including: Business Name & Concept (1–3 sentence pitch), Product or Service Description, Visual Representation (mockup, photo, sketch, or model), Target Market, Value Proposition, Financial Plan (costs, expenses, revenue, funding sources), and Implementation Plan (timeline and key steps)
- Optional: Social impact section detailing positive societal or environmental effects
- Academic enrollment verification (Student ID and/or official transcript if selected as winner)
When to apply
- Application Deadline: September 29, 2026
- Winner Announcement: October 30, 2026
How to apply
- Prepare a concise two-page business plan for a real or hypothetical product or service covering all required criteria.
- US domestic applicants: Apply and upload the business plan document directly on Bold.org.
- International applicants: Submit through the official InnovateHERs International Applicant Google Form.
- Ensure the plan is professionally formatted, clear, and stays within the two-page limit.
Additional information
- Scoring Rubric (50 points maximum): Creativity & Innovation (10 pts), Clarity of Concept (10 pts), Feasibility & Practicality (10 pts), Market Understanding (5 pts), Value Proposition (5 pts), Financial Plan (10 pts), and Presentation & Organization (5 pts).
- Selection criteria also consider ambition, drive, and impact.
- No essay is required to apply.
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- Female-identifying high school students
- Aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders
- Students who prefer creating a business plan over writing a traditional essay
What should you think carefully about?
- The business plan must be strictly limited to two pages
- Requires a comprehensive plan including financial projections and implementation steps
- Only one winner is selected for the $500 award
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This scholarship is ideal for students who want to demonstrate their entrepreneurial drive and business acumen. It provides a practical way to showcase creative thinking and strategic planning skills that are directly applicable to future business studies or career paths.
Our take
High school students with a clear, innovative business concept should apply, as the focus is on practical viability and ambition rather than academic history.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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