The NOVA Awards for Women in Business honor the visionaries transforming industries through principle, precision, and purpose. This category celebrates individuals and initiatives that reimagine what influence looks like—building companies, movements, and legacies that shape the global economy.
The NOVA Awards for Women in Business honor visionary leaders redefining influence, equity, and impact across the global economy.
This category celebrates women who are not only driving success within their organizations—but reshaping what leadership means in the 21st century. Recognized nominees stand at the forefront of transformation across:
Executive Leadership – Women steering companies through complexity with boldness, clarity, and long-range vision.
Entrepreneurship – Founders building resilient, innovative ventures with global relevance.
Finance & Strategy – Experts redefining capital flows, risk, and growth through data-driven foresight.
Sustainability & ESG – Champions integrating purpose with performance at scale.
DEI Advocacy – Catalysts fostering inclusive cultures and systemic change.
Cross-Industry Influence – Voices shaping global dialogues far beyond their sectors.
By participating, candidates join a global constellation of influential changemakers—establishing authority, expanding alliances, and elevating the standard for women in leadership worldwide.
The NOVA Awards – Women in Business category distinguishes leaders who reshape industries through clarity, courage, and sustained consequence. It honors those advancing enterprise with more than ambition—those building ecosystems, defining equity, and reframing global business through decisive leadership.
This is not a tribute to visibility. It is a platform for those whose work shifts paradigms, commands trust, and charts the future—for their companies, communities, and the generations that follow.
Nominees in this category reflect the forefront of progress, setting a higher bar not only for what leadership looks like, but what it delivers.
Why Participate in the NOVA® Awards
True leadership deserves more than recognition—it commands resonance. The NOVA® Awards offer more than a trophy; they position your work where it belongs: at the center of the global conversation.
Global Visibility, Lasting Impact
Stand alongside Europe’s most consequential voices. Finalists and laureates are featured across international channels, industry spotlights, and curated editorial campaigns—amplifying your work far beyond the award stage.
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Credibility That Moves Markets
Independent, high-standard evaluation by a jury of leading experts elevates your reputation with clients, investors, and peers. Recognition from NOVA signals strategic excellence, not self-promotion.
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Catalyst for Growth and Influence
Whether you're scaling innovation or reshaping established systems, participation unlocks opportunities—new partnerships, speaking engagements, and access to an elite network of cross-sector trailblazers.
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Inspiration with Substance
Your story becomes part of something greater: a collective narrative of those redefining what progress looks like. Share your journey not to impress, but to propel.
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What We Evaluate
Each submission is reviewed against five foundational criteria used across all Nova categories - adapted for Women in business:
Professional Impact
We evaluate the measurable outcomes of your leadership - whether through company growth, sector transformation, or the elevation of inclusive practices that influence how industries evolve.
Originality & Innovation
We seek bold approaches that challenge legacy systems. This includes visionary business models, novel market entries, and operational breakthroughs that reset expectations - not only for performance, but for purpose.
Reputational Merit
Your standing within your field matters. We consider peer recognition, board appointments, speaking engagements, and the ability to set a tone others follow - both inside your organization and across your industry.
Scalability & Applicability
Does your impact extend beyond a single entity? We assess whether your methods can serve as models—amplified across teams, geographies, or sectors—and whether your decisions inspire systemic betterment.
Sectoral Relevance
We value alignment with the issues shaping today’s economic and societal climate—from sustainable finance and talent equity to supply chain resilience and digital inclusion.
Eligibility
Open to founders, executives, visionaries, and organizations elevating gender equity through exemplary leadership and market impact. Entries may come from any industry, as long as the individual or entity has demonstrably influenced business transformation, strategic direction, or cultural progress across sectors.
Awards Timeline and Deadlines
Mark your calendar with these key dates:
January 22, 2025:
January 22, 2025:
Early Bird Submission Deadline
February 26, 2025:
February 26, 2025:
Regular Submission Deadline
April 2, 2025:
April 2, 2025:
Late Submission Deadline
May 7, 2025:
May 7, 2025:
Final Submission Deadline
June 26, 2025:
June 26, 2025:
Winners Announced
Fees increase progressively with each subsequent deadline, so we encourage early submissions.
Submit an Application to Be a Judge
Do you have a passion for evaluating excellence in cybersecurity? Join the esteemed panel of judges for the NOVA Awards. As a judge, you’ll review entries, score them based on defined criteria, and contribute to honoring innovation in the industry.
Register Now to Volunteer as a Judge
Become a Voice in Tomorrow’s Legacy
Step forward with intention. Submit your nomination or nominate a peer whose work transcends the expected and shapes the possible.