5 Female Founders Leading The Charge For A Sustainable Future

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) are a set of 17 global objectives established in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They aim to address a range of critical issues facing the world, including poverty, gender inequality, environmental degradation, and ensuring prosperity and peace for all. Each goal is interconnected, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to achieve sustainable development.

The WE Empower UN SDG Challenge is the first-of-its-kind global competition for social entrepreneurs who are advancing the UN SDGs and inspiring entire communities to act to create the world we want. Funded primarily by the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, the Challenge has been providing vital support to women environmental leaders since 2018.

Here are the 5 innovative women entrepreneurs (WE) who won the 2023 Challenge. These leaders from around the world are pushing forward sustainable business practices and inspiring others to follow suit. As Awardees, they enjoy capacity-building training sessions and opportunities to connect with an unparalleled global network to advance their enterprises.

1. Menna Farouk (Egypt), CEO and Cofounder of Dosy

With a population of about 100 million, Egypt is one of the most densely populated and polluted countries in the world. Dosy aims to encourage women and girls in Egypt to ride scooters and bicycles by connecting them with riding instructors. Not only does Dosy create employment opportunities for women, but it also helps reduce traffic congestion and pollution. As it is against social norms for females to ride scooters and bicycles in Egypt, Dosy furthermore helps to shift those norms.

Cofounder and CEO Menna Farouk is a journalist and entrepreneur whose purpose is to help people who face injustices. “By facilitating scooter and bicycle lessons, Dosy empowers women and girls with the confidence and skill to navigate their surroundings independently. We also break down gender barriers in transportation, which could lead to women having more freedom and control over their movement,” she said in an exclusive interview with me.

Farouk advises aspiring change makers to identify their passion. Also, she says, “Do not let limited resources hold you back. Think outside the box and find creative solutions. See challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. Persistence is key to making a lasting impact.”

2. Diana Mbogo (Tanzania), Founder and Managing Director of Millennium Engineers Enterprises

Millennium Engineers Enterprises Ltd is a female-founded and led social enterprise that specializes in renewable energy. Currently, their Sardine Fishing Industry business project is working to transition the low-income sardine fishing industry in Lake Victoria away from pressurized kerosene/LED lead acid powered batteries lamps and conventional methods of sardine drying towards more climate-friendly solar drying facilities.

Diana Mbogo is the founder and managing director of Millennium Engineers. “My work gives me the opportunity to serve the most vulnerable communities,” she said in an exclusive interview with me. Even though funding was suspended during the Covid pandemic and she already had drained all her savings to support the business, she rallied Mbogo cut all unnecessary administrative costs, and was able to secure the first $0.5M in financing by 2021.

“Challenges are the most beautiful opportunities,” Mbogo says. “Integrity will open more doors for you than your skills can. Remember, our greatest moment is now!”

3. Andrea ‘Andy’ Blair (New Zealand), Cofounder and Director of Business and Innovation at Upflow

Upflow is a geothermal research and innovation company based in New Zealand. Upflow assembles expert teams to work on cutting-edge technologies and fosters interdisciplinary approaches to build real-world solutions rooted in geothermal environments. The company also aims to ignite a movement that harnesses the power of STEAM (Science, Technology, Arts & Math) to solve humanity’s most pressing challenges.

“My mission is to empower humans to achieve things they never dreamed possible,” said Andrea ‘Andy’ Blair, cofounder and director of business and innovation at Upflow, in an exclusive interview with me.

The greatest challenge Blair has faced with Upflow is money. “We are constantly being challenged by the tension between the need for cashflow and saying no to work that doesn’t align with our purpose,” she says. The work we are doing doesn’t fit ‘the norm.’ Navigating this landscape requires resilience, persistence, creativity and a steadfast commitment to our purpose-driven vision, despite the constant obstacles.”

Blair has this advice for aspiring change makers. “No doesn’t mean the end, no just means you have to find another way around! Don’t worry about all the bad stats and scary stuff, just stay focused on your purpose, hold your head up and push hard. Also, we can no longer simply wait and hope for fairness. We need all genders to help us get there! This is not a women’s problem – this is a societal problem.”

4. Karin Sempf (Panama), CEO and Founder of Innova Nation

Innova Nation is an educational lab focused on motivating and empowering the upcoming generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, and sustainability advocates. They provide interactive learning opportunities for children and teenagers aged 8-18, helping them foster creativity, critical thinking skills, and problem-solving abilities while simultaneously encouraging them to explore their interests and ideas. So far, Innova Nation’s programs have impacted the lives of more than 10,500 students at over 90 schools.

Founder and CEO Karin Sempf is a purpose-driven entrepreneur. It was only after 10 years of owning her first business that she understood her strengths and how to harness them in favor of her passions. This led her to make a change in her career and create Innova Nation.

“My life’s purpose is to connect with the youth and find meaningful ways to help them understand the power of their ideas,” Sempf said in an exclusive interview with me. “At a larger scope, my purpose is to catalyze sustainable change through entrepreneurship and innovation in Latin America.”

Sempf advises aspiring change maker to welcome disruption – the kind of disruption that starts with empathy and curiosity, breaks the status quo but has a deeper purpose. “Start connecting the dots and create the world you want by harnessing who you are and by tapping into communities with similar purposes,” she says.

5. Susan Blanchet (Canada), CEO and Founder of Origen Air

Origen Air is on a mission is to create biophilic rooftop oases that metabolize toxins and purify indoor air. Buildings now represent 40% of emissions. By connecting to HVAC systems, Origen systems produce efficient and sustainable living air purifiers using genetically modified plants that are 92x more effective at removing toxins from the air.

Susan Blanchet is the founder and CEO of Origen Air. As a teen, she was inspired by reading Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring to do something about the human-made toxins in our environment. So, she went into environmental law. Then, at only 51, her father was diagnosed with early onset dementia, which she linked to his work in wastewater treatment plants. Since she couldn’t litigate better air, she learned how to clean it.

Origen has quickly built an international brand with large clients, won international recognition as climate leaders, brought in over $1.8M in funding and is positioned to access more government funding. Still, the greatest challenge they have faced is access to capital.

“My mantra is ‘I will not fail,” said Blanchet in an exclusive interview with me. “Many times as a female leader in the climate space, I have come extremely close to failing. My advice is to develop a network of key women and male supporters that you can reach out to in these difficult times to provide warm introductions. Go to events to meet like-minded people. And never stop promoting your brand.”