The Makers Mindset x The Equity Studio Grant has opened applications for its second year, offering $50,000 in total equity-free funding to female founders building beauty and wellness consumer brands.
The 2026 programme will select five businesses, with each founder receiving a $10,000 grant that can be reinvested into their company without giving up equity.
Awardees will also receive group mentorship from Makers Mindset founder Nancy Twine and The Equity Studio founder Anna Sweeting, alongside business resources and exposure through both organisations’ platforms.
The grant is aimed at early-stage US consumer packaged goods (CPG) businesses operating across beauty and wellness.
Eligible categories include supplements, ingestible products, nutritional powders, functional foods and beverages, hormone care, longevity and performance products, as well as skincare, haircare, oral care, personal care and fragrance.
Applicants must operate a legally registered US business that is at least 51% women-owned, has no more than ten employees and generates between $50,000 and $2m in annual revenue.
Businesses must also have been generating revenue for at least one full year.
Applications opened on 9 September and will close on 9 October 2026, with the five recipients expected to be selected in November.
The programme follows its inaugural 2025 grant, which attracted thousands of applications and supported five female-founded brands across beauty, health and wellness.
Recipients included menstrual health brand Viv, women’s health supplement company Cranel, haircare brands Squigs and Alodia and body care company Gently Soap.
The initiative combines equity-free capital with founder education and industry connections, reflecting growing efforts to improve access to funding and expertise for women-led consumer businesses.
