Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company, has announced that business owners can now apply for the 2026 cohort of “The Confidence Collective: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs.” This initiative marks the fourth consecutive year that BOTOX® Cosmetic has committed to providing funding and educational resources to women-led businesses. Applications for the current cycle will remain open until April 29, 2026.
The programme is designed to support 250 women by providing them with mentorship, professional coaching and a networking community. From this group, twenty entrepreneurs will be selected to receive individual grants of $20,000 to assist with the growth of their ventures. Since the programme began in 2023, the brand has distributed $1.2 million in total grants.
Nicole Mowad-Nassar, President of Global Allergan Aesthetics and Senior Vice President at AbbVie, said: “At Allergan Aesthetics, we believe that confidence unlocks potential. BOTOX® Cosmetic champions entrepreneurs and helps them to fuel sustainable growth in their businesses through The Confidence Collective. Through the program, entrepreneurs receive mentoring, coaching, and funding along with a community where they can share their stories and where their achievements are celebrated. I cannot wait to see the lasting impact The Confidence Collective will have on each entrepreneur, their families, and their communities.”
The initiative seeks to tackle specific challenges identified in recent research, which found that 74 per cent of women founders struggle with financial literacy. Furthermore, 53 per cent reported limited access to capital networks and 40 per cent had never worked with a formal mentor. By providing these tools, the programme aims to help founders scale their operations.
Saria Hawkins-Banda, a 2025 grant recipient and She-EO at Manifest Your Purpose, said: “Receiving the $20,000 grant was truly a dream come true. The program pushed me to grow in ways I never imagined. I strengthened my skills, built my confidence as an entrepreneur, and was surrounded by a community of bold, inspiring women who genuinely wanted to see each other succeed. Participating in this program wasn’t just about the funding; it was a launchpad for my business and my vision for the future. I’m deeply grateful to this program for believing in me, and I’m excited to pay that support forward by uplifting and championing the next class of women founders.”
The final 250 participants will be named in the coming months, while the twenty grant winners will be revealed this autumn.
