The 2025 edition of the programme brought together women-led social ventures from across South Asia. Palka was selected among a highly competitive pool of more than 2,400 applicants, placing a Bangladesh-founded health-tech initiative on a wider regional stage.
The Unlock Her Future Prize is an initiative under The Bicester Collection’s Do Good programme, designed to support women social entrepreneurs developing solutions to pressing social and environmental challenges.
For MommyKidz, the recognition comes after years of working on one of Bangladesh’s persistent healthcare challenges: helping women access trustworthy information and professional support for health concerns they may feel uncomfortable discussing openly.
Building a Safer Space for Women’s Health
MommyKidz was developed as a digital health platform focused on women and mothers, covering areas such as reproductive health, pregnancy, maternal health, parenting and access to healthcare professionals.
A central part of the company’s approach is addressing the social stigma surrounding sensitive health questions.
In many communities, women may delay asking about menstrual health, reproductive concerns, pregnancy complications or other personal health issues because of embarrassment, lack of privacy, limited healthcare access or fear of judgement.
MommyKidz aims to reduce these barriers by combining digital health information, community support and access to healthcare services within a more private and accessible environment.
The platform has also been working to make health information easier to understand for women with different levels of education and digital literacy.
From Personal Experience to Entrepreneurship
Palka’s journey into women’s health entrepreneurship grew from observing how difficult it could be for women to find clear and trustworthy health information, particularly during pregnancy and motherhood.
What began as an effort to create a supportive space for women gradually developed into a broader technology-driven healthcare platform.
The company’s focus has since expanded beyond maternal health toward a wider vision of supporting women through different stages of life.
For Palka, the issue is not simply access to information, but whether women feel confident enough to ask questions and make informed decisions about their own health.
International Recognition and Support
As an Unlock Her Future Prize winner, Palka is expected to receive access to financial support of up to US$100,000, along with mentorship, training and wider opportunities to strengthen the venture.
The programme also provides exposure to international networks and academic support connected with Oxford Saïd Business School, giving participating entrepreneurs opportunities to refine both their social impact models and long-term growth strategies.
The recognition could help MommyKidz accelerate its next phase of development, including greater use of technology and artificial intelligence to improve personalised health information and support.
Addressing a Wider South Asian Challenge
Although MommyKidz was founded in Bangladesh, many of the problems it is attempting to solve are shared across South Asia.
Women throughout the region can face barriers including shortage of specialised healthcare professionals, geographical distance, cost, social stigma and limited access to reliable information in local languages.
Technology-based healthcare platforms are increasingly being explored as one way to narrow these gaps, particularly when combined with professional medical support and community-level engagement.
MommyKidz’s model reflects this growing intersection between women’s health, digital technology and social impact.
A Growing Generation of Bangladeshi Women Entrepreneurs
Palka’s recognition also adds to the growing visibility of Bangladeshi women entrepreneurs building technology and impact-focused businesses.
While women-led startups in emerging markets often face challenges in accessing investment, networks and international exposure, global programmes such as Unlock Her Future can provide both capital and credibility at a critical stage of growth.
For Bangladesh, the achievement represents more than an individual award. It highlights how locally developed solutions can address problems that extend well beyond national borders.
As MommyKidz enters its next phase, the company is looking to deepen its reach among women who remain underserved by conventional healthcare systems and develop technology that can make health support more personalised, accessible and inclusive.
For Palka, the long-term ambition remains straightforward: to help create a future where women can understand their bodies, ask questions without shame and access the care they need—regardless of where they live or how digitally connected they are.
About MommyKidz Ltd.
MommyKidz Ltd. is a Bangladesh-based women’s health-tech company working to improve access to health information, community support and healthcare services for women and families through technology-driven solutions.