The second annual CNBC Changemakers list of women who are transforming business and philanthropy showcases biotech breakthroughs, AI advances, women’s health, and both consumer and social innovations, with a wide-ranging list of leaders, each of whom has accomplished a meaningful achievement in 2024, specifically.
From billion-dollar startups to multinationals valued in the hundreds of billions, and in sectors from media and entertainment to sports, financial services, food and restaurants, defense, health care, and real estate, these women are breaking down barriers and inspiring their teams, their customers and the world. With guidance from the Changemakers Advisory Board, CNBC evaluated the applicants’ impact through both quantitative and qualitative lenses.
In the Fortune 500, women still face an uphill battle, with the 11% of CEOs who are female a record level. Meanwhile, venture capital funding to female-founded companies declined to 2% last year. The women who succeed, despite those odds, are by definition, exceptional, and their stories reveal grit, perseverance, and creativity.