Empowering Women in Tech Scholarship

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Scholarship Sponsored by Designli

Value: $3,000.00

Awards Available: 1

Deadline : Nov 15, 2026

Overview

Designli is offering the Empowering Women in Tech Scholarship to support female students pursuing technology, entrepreneurship, and AI. The scholarship addresses the underrepresentation of women in AI and emphasizes responsible, ethical development. Applicants will be asked to submit an original essay that combines strategic thinking, technical vision, and personal experience. The award is intended to amplify women-led perspectives that prioritize user empathy and fairness in AI.

Supports female high school, undergraduate, and graduate students in the U.S.
Focus on AI, entrepreneurship, and ethical product design
Seeks original, personal perspectives rather than generic AI-generated content

Scholarship Details

Description: The scholarship awards a one-time cash grant to a student who demonstrates vision for ethical, AI-driven product development and leadership in tech. The selection favors applicants who present a clear business case, technical strategy, and a unique personal perspective. Designli values submissions that highlight human-centered design, bias reduction, and human-in-the-loop approaches. The award is designed to help recipients pursue education and early-stage entrepreneurial work in technology.

Award Value: $3,000 awarded to one recipient to be paid directly to the recipient’s college or university.

Application Timeline: Winner will be notified by December 1, 2026; funds are disbursed after proof of acceptance to a college or university is provided.

History of the Award: The scholarship was created by Designli, a software development company founded as a college startup, to invest in young women and encourage diverse leadership in technology.

Single $3,000 award paid to the recipient’s institution
Winner announced by December 1, 2026
Built to support ethical, human-centered AI initiatives

Essay Prompts

Submit a single 1,000-word essay that answers the prompts provided and illustrates your personal perspective and leadership vision. The essay should address practical strategies for launching AI-driven businesses, techniques for reducing bias and increasing transparency, and your approach to human-in-the-loop systems. You are encouraged to pick a niche industry and describe a concrete plan that balances AI automation with human oversight. Emphasize how you, as a woman in technology, would lead, mentor, and inspire others.

1,000-word essay focused on AI business development, ethics, and leadership
Choose a niche industry and describe a concrete, ethical AI strategy
Make the essay personal and reflective—speak from woman to woman

Prompts:

How will women stand out in the AI business development era by using modern AI tools, user empathy, and ethical product design?
Choose a niche sector (e.g., logistics, healthcare, construction) and explain how you would launch an AI-driven business within it.
Describe a human-in-the-loop business model that ensures ethical accuracy, transparency, and bias reduction in the 2026 tech landscape.
Explain how you would use AI-powered skills development to drive growth as a technical director while maintaining human oversight.

Make it personal: Address what you hope to accomplish, challenges you've faced, and the qualities that make you suited to thrive as a tech entrepreneur.

What do you hope to accomplish and how will you inspire other women?
What challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them?
What personal qualities will help you succeed as a tech entrepreneur?

About Designli

Designli is a software development company that began as a college startup and focuses on launching high-quality SaaS products with modern AI tools. The company emphasizes rapid, user-centered development that balances speed with product quality and minimal technical debt. Designli works closely with non-technical founders to translate business strategy into technical execution and values diverse leadership in technology. The Empowering Women in Tech Scholarship reflects Designli’s commitment to investing in the next generation of women leaders.

Founded as a college startup; specializes in accelerated SaaS development
Prioritizes user experience, ethical AI, and reduced technical debt
Committed to supporting women entrepreneurs and diverse perspectives

Eligibility & Requirements

Eligibility: Open to female high school seniors, undergraduate, and graduate students who are U.S. citizens. Due to funding constraints, only U.S.-based applicants will be considered. Provide either proof of college acceptance or a high school transcript at the time of submission. The application must include a short biography and the required supporting documents to be considered.

Required Materials: A short bio (up to 250 words) indicating intended field of study and education level, proof of education, evidence of U.S. citizenship (valid address), and a 1,000-word essay.

Must be a U.S. citizen and female high school senior or college/graduate student
Include bio, proof of education, evidence of U.S citizenship, and a 1,000-word essay
Bio helps reviewers understand goals but is not part of scoring

Scholarship Guidelines Regarding the Use of AI

Designli accepts the use of AI tools for research and outlining but requires that the final essay reflect the applicant’s original thinking and voice. Submissions that read as generic, AI-generated content will be disadvantaged because the scholarship seeks unique perspectives that demonstrate leadership and critical reasoning. If you use AI tools, be transparent about which tools you used and how they informed—but did not replace—your analysis. The goal is to show how you can augment your work with AI while maintaining a human-centered, ethical approach.

AI may be used for research and outlining, but final insights must be original
List any AI tools used and describe their role in refining your thinking
Emphasize the human contribution—the “human moat”—that AI cannot replicate

Augmentation: Use AI tools for research and outlining, but the final strategic insights and personal narrative must be your own.

The "Human Moat": We seek a unique perspective, personal experience, or creative leap that an AI cannot replicate.

Transparency: If you use AI, list the tools used and briefly describe how they helped refine your thinking.

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions are evaluated on originality, business reasoning, and technical strategy. Reviewers look for distinct personal perspectives rather than generic AI-generated narratives. Successful applicants will clearly identify a real problem, propose a viable business solution, and outline a practical, ethical plan for building software using AI or traditional development methods. The evaluation balances vision, feasibility, and demonstrated commitment to ethical AI practices.

Original Perspective: unique vision and personal voice
Business Evolution: clear problem identification and solution design
Strategic AI Development: practical, ethical plan for building software

Application Details

Email your complete application to [email protected] using your essay title as the email subject line. Include your full name, mailing address, phone number, and short bio in the email body; attach the essay or provide a link to it. The winner will be notified by email by December 1, 2026, and funds will be sent directly to the recipient’s school after proof of acceptance is provided. Designli will not publish or distribute submissions without prior written consent from the applicant.

Send applications to [email protected] with essay title as subject
Include contact details and bio; attach the essay or provide a link
Winner notified by December 1, 2026; funds paid to the school upon proof