Alexia Hilbertidou

Alexia Hilbertidou is a New Zealand social entrepreneur and the founder of GirlBoss New Zealand, a social enterprise which aims to empower women in leadership, entrepreneurship, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics.)

GirlBoss has attracted 17,500 members, with 1 in 7 of all high school-aged young women in New Zealand currently enrolled in its programmes, making it the country's largest network for young women.

Under her leadership, GirlBoss has reached young women from over 400 schools.

GirlBoss has also expanded internationally, with members in 27 countries, including the United Arab Emirates.

Hilbertidou is a strong advocate for equity of access and for ensuring every young woman, regardless of their socioeconomic status, can succeed.

Her efforts have been particularly focused on supporting underrepresented groups, including low-income, Māori, Pasifika, and rural youth.

Since founding GirlBoss, Hilbertidou has spoken at over 150 schools, with more than 100,000 students participating in GirlBoss initiatives over the past decade. Through the GirlBoss Edge accelerator, over 5,000 young people have launched social impact projects, with 93% of alumni describing the experience as "life-changing."

GirlBoss programmes are offered free of charge and have collectively generated over NZ$63 million in value for young women across New Zealand, according to an independent PwC UK report.