To participate, candidates must fill in the registration forms to be downloaded from the www. cartierwomensinitiative.com and send it along with their short business plans and executive summary, including information on the product, service offered and the market or competition, to contact@cartierwomensinitiative. com before April 15, 2007.

"The award is aimed to support meaningful businesses and enable budding initiatives to grow. We hope to see new talents emerge and inspire more women to join the great entrepreneurship adventures," said Bernard Fornas, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Cartier.

Each year, following a personalised coaching provided by a consulting firm McKinsey & Company and graduate business school INSEAD, along with Cartier, 15 women will present their business plans before a high profile international jury.

Of them, five laureates, one from each continent, will be selected to receive the Cartier Women's Initiative Awards trophy and rewarded with a US$20000 grant.

In addition to financial help, winners will gain access to additional coaching support for a full year.

The winners will be named at the Women's Forum for the Economy and Society from October 11 to 13 in Deauville, France.

Kamal Ahmad, president and CEO of Asian University for Women Support Foundation, Bangladesh has been nominated as a jury from Asia for this prestigious award.