A returning winner, now a presenter

At just 23 years old, Malaysian social entrepreneur Harsha Ravindran returned to the Women of the Future Awards 2025 Southeast Asia—not as a nominee, but as the presenter of the Social Entrepreneur Award, a category she won in 2024.

The ceremony, held at Voco Hotel Singapore for the awards’ eighth edition, reflected the growing regional presence of Harsha’s youth-led organisations, Ascendance and Expop. Addressing finalists, industry leaders, sponsors, and guests, she reflected on her own journey since receiving the award.

Business as a force for good

“Entrepreneurship and chasing your dreams can sometimes be a little lonely… but the Women of the Future community has truly embodied what active, genuine support looks like,” Harsha shared. Through Ascendance and Expop, her global platform has supported more than 50,000 Gen Zs in developing purpose-driven social enterprises.

Harsha’s appearance as a returning winner symbolised the rising strength of Malaysia’s youth-driven ecosystem, where Ascendance and Expop continue to shape conversations around social entrepreneurship, education, and impact-driven leadership. Welcoming the year’s nominees, she said: “Business can be a force for good.”