Three young women. Three innovative ventures. One shared vision: creating meaningful change through entrepreneurship.
The next generation of women leaders isn't waiting for the future; they're building it today.
We're proud to celebrate the three winners of our Ignite! Venture Competition, recognizing outstanding young entrepreneurs who are turning bold ideas into business ventures designed to make a difference.
Open to graduates of GWI's Innovation Academy, the competition gives young women an opportunity to put their entrepreneurial skills into action, develop compelling venture pitches, and compete for cash prizes.
A panel of judges evaluated the submissions and selected three exceptional winners whose ventures address real-world challenges across healthcare, entrepreneurship, and personal empowerment.
First Place: Francesca Pierre, Access Bridge Health
Age 23 | Manchester, New Hampshire | $1,000 Prize
Navigating the healthcare system can be overwhelming, especially when patients face complicated insurance processes and time-consuming administrative tasks.
Francesca Pierre is working to change that with Access Bridge Health, a venture designed to bridge the gap between patients and healthcare workers.
By helping patients manage tasks such as communicating with insurance companies, Access Bridge Health aims to simplify the healthcare experience, reduce stress, and give patients greater clarity and peace of mind.
Francesca's venture demonstrates how entrepreneurship can address everyday challenges and make essential services more accessible.
Second Place: Linzay Hernandez, Momentum
Age 24 | Bronx, New York | $700 Prize
Every aspiring entrepreneur deserves access to the tools, guidance, and connections needed to turn a great idea into a successful business.
That's the vision behind Momentum, the venture developed by Linzay Hernandez.
Momentum aims to empower aspiring entrepreneurs by providing resources, skill-building opportunities, networking, and guidance to help them launch and grow their businesses.
By helping others navigate the entrepreneurial journey, Linzay is creating opportunities for more individuals to pursue their ambitions and build their own paths to success.
Third Place: Oluwakanyinsola Adeleke, ORÍELLE
Age 15 | Gaithersburg, Maryland | $500 Prize
At just 15 years old, Oluwakanyinsola Adeleke is combining entrepreneurship with a mission to promote confidence, education, and self-expression.
Her venture, ORÍELLE, focuses on helping Black women embrace the beauty and versatility of their natural hair.
Through in-home protective hairstyling services, one-on-one consultations, and personalized hair product recommendations, ORÍELLE aims to make natural hair care more accessible, empowering women with the knowledge and confidence to care for their hair.
Oluwakanyinsola's vision demonstrates that age is no barrier to identifying a need and developing an innovative solution.
Turning Ideas Into Impact
Each of these ventures began with an idea and the determination to make it a reality.
Through Girls With Impact's Innovation Academy, young women gain practical experience in entrepreneurship, business development, and leadership, building the confidence and skills needed to bring their ideas to life.
The Ignite! Venture Competition provides graduates with an opportunity to apply those skills, showcase their innovations, and take another step forward in their entrepreneurial journeys.
"These young women represent exactly why Girls With Impact exists: to give the next generation the tools and opportunities to turn their ideas into meaningful solutions," said Jennifer Openshaw, founder and CEO of Girls With Impact. "Their ventures demonstrate the innovation and leadership potential of young women when they're equipped with the skills and confidence to bring their ideas to life."
Empowering the Next Generation of Women Leaders
Since 2018, Girls With Impact has equipped more than 20,000 young women across all 50 states and more than 60 countries with real-world business and leadership skills.
Our mission is to develop young women to lead, build, and succeed - in business and beyond. With a goal of reaching 50,000 young women by 2030, we're committed to helping even more young innovators discover their potential and create lasting impact.
Congratulations to Francesca, Linzay, and Oluwakanyinsola! Your creativity, ambition, and commitment to solving real-world challenges embody the spirit of Girls With Impact. We can't wait to see where your entrepreneurial journeys take you next.
Ready to turn your own ideas into impact?
Discover how Girls With Impact is preparing the next generation of women entrepreneurs and leaders.
Explore the Innovation Academy.