Entering its 5th year in South Africa, the Veuve Clicquot by Bold Woman Award continues to celebrate the women reshaping entire industries. These business leaders reflect the evolving face of African entrepreneurship: visionary, globally minded, community-driven and unapologetically ambitious.
The 2026 South African finalists for the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award have been announced, marking the fifth year of the programme in the country. The awards celebrate women reshaping industries through innovation, resilience and long-term impact, inspired by the legacy of Madame Clicquot.
The initiative recognises two categories: the Bold Woman Award, for established entrepreneurs operating for more than five years, and the Bold Future Award, which highlights emerging founders leading high-impact businesses under five years old.
Organisers say this year’s cohort reflects a new generation of African entrepreneurship defined by ambition, social impact and global competitiveness.
Lindiwe Nkuna-Kgopa, founder of Lindiwe Sanitary Pads, has built Africa’s first large-scale, women-owned sanitary pad manufacturing facility. Established in 2018, the company produces SABS-compliant sanitary products at scale and supplies South Africa’s National Sanitary Dignity Programme. It has also distributed free products to more than 100,000 schoolgirls in 2026. Nkuna-Kgopa grew the business into a multi-million-rand operation after securing funding without collateral.
