Trailblazing businesswomen in their respected fields, Roanne Jacobsen, Founder of SABEN, and Natasha Bourke, Founder of Skintopia and the CEO for Two Hundred Doors  are teaming up to champion female entrepreneurship in time for International Women’s Day.

The women behind the respected brands Dermalogica and SABEN have announced the second year of the EmpowHER scholarship.

With this scholarship, the pair are hoping to “empower and inspire even more Kiwi women to take their businesses to the next level of fostering innovation, leadership, and diversity”.

Officially opening on International Women’s Day, March 8, female entrepreneurs will be apply with a chance to take a prize from a pool of $22,000 to further their business idea to greater heights, thanks to venture capital group, The Icehouse.

Not only is there a chance to win a part of the $22,000 grant, female entrepreneurs will also be able to receive valuable one-on-one coaching from both business leaders.

“We’re proud to join forces again with SABEN and The Icehouse to launch the EmpowHER Scholarship for a second year, we were overwhelmed by the response and the calibre of the entries we received in our first year of launching EmpowHER. In2024, we are excited to offer additional opportunities for the winner to develop their business acumen and financial skills,” says Natasha Bourke, Founder of Skintopia and the CEO for Two Hundred Doors (the Kiwi distributors of Dermalogica).

Read more: International Women’s Day: Celebrating the female entrepreneurs of NZ

“The EmpowHER scholarship is a testament to our commitment to fostering talent and innovation,” says Roanne Jacobsen, Founder of SABEN.

Jacobsen adds that they hope this will make a profound impact on the lives of aspiring women in business, continuing the legacy that brands like Dermalogica and SABEN are championing.

The 2023 winner of the EmpowHER scholarship, Anna Barlow of Mom Store says she has learnt so much and has been inspired by how she can further her business based on the resources she has, despite the lack of formal business training.

“Getting this industry specific insight has been a game changer for my small business and has motivated us to continue growing and changing in what is currently a really tough economic climate,” adds Barlow.

The competition opens on March 8 and for overall winners the business needs to be between the ages of three to five and is in the enterprise stage of development, with a turnover of between $500,000 to $3 million.

Scholarship winners can have a business between one and two years old and is in the start-up phase with a turnover of $250,000 to $500,000.

Winners will be chosen by SABEN, Dermalogica NZ, and the Icehouse.