Back to the Awards

Back to the Awards

Female Founder Award
Female Founder Award
Female Founder Award
Empowering Women. Accelerating Innovation.
Empowering Women. Accelerating Innovation.
Empowering Women. Accelerating Innovation.
The Award

The Female Founder Award celebrates women leading innovative startups that are driving the disruptive technologies shaping the future.

Apply now and join us for the 10th edition of VivaTech, taking place from 17–20 June 2026 in Paris.

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Female Founder Award

While female-founded companies still receive only 12% of venture funding, it’s time to help women make their voices heard.* 

The Female Founder Challenge was created 8 years ago to empower women entrepreneurs by facilitating networking opportunities, raising brand awareness, and providing access to funding. 

The five finalists will be invited to pitch in June at VivaTech 2026. 

The winner will be announced alongside the other award winners during the VivaTech Global Awards Ceremony, gaining significant visibility and a prominent spotlight during the event. 

Don’t miss your chance! 

*Source: Sifted – 100 Women in Tech 2025 

Selection Criteria
Innovation

Level of relevance, originality and innovation demonstrated by the tech solution 

Scalability & Viability

Ability of the solution to scale while remaining technically, economically and environmentally viable 

Team Profile

Profile of the female founder(s) and co-founder(s), ability to lead the project to success, hard and soft skills of the operational team

Business Model

Your business model demonstrated traction and product/market fit 

Impact

Solutions that contribute to improving environmental and social impact

Jury

Caroline Ramade

Caroline Ramade

General Manager France

General Manager France

Q7Leader

Q7Leader

Tatiana Jama

Tatiana Jama

Founder & Managing Partner

Founder & Managing Partner

SistaFund

SistaFund

Sylvain Freon

Sylvain Freon

Partner & Member of the Executive Committee

Partner & Member of the Executive Committee

Forvis Mazars

Forvis Mazars

Julien-David Nitlech

Julien-David Nitlech

Managing Partner

Managing Partner

IRIS

IRIS

Isabelle Mari

Isabelle Mari

Director, Strategic projects

Director, Strategic projects

JCDECAUX

JCDECAUX

Lucile Cornet

Lucile Cornet

Partner

Partner

Eight Roads

Eight Roads

Rewards
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    For the Top 30 Female Founders

    One VivaTech Startup Pass

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    For the 5 finalists

    • Pitch your solution in front of a jury of top decision makers and investors 

    • One-to-one meetings with VCs

    • Strong visibility across VivaTech’s communication channels 

    • Two VivaTech Startup Passes

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    For the Winner

    • Pitch your solution during the VivaTech Global Awards Ceremony 

    • Fundraising coaching by IRIS (from pitch deck revamp to intros to VCs)   

    • Extensive visibility

    • A free Startup Corner at 2026 VivaTech

    • A 5-month business development mentoring program with Forvis Mazars XFactory  

  • Compressed image
    For the Top 30 Female Founders

    One VivaTech Startup Pass

  • Compressed image
    For the 5 finalists

    • Pitch your solution in front of a jury of top decision makers and investors 

    • One-to-one meetings with VCs

    • Strong visibility across VivaTech’s communication channels 

    • Two VivaTech Startup Passes

  • Compressed image
    For the Winner

    • Pitch your solution during the VivaTech Global Awards Ceremony 

    • Fundraising coaching by IRIS (from pitch deck revamp to intros to VCs)   

    • Extensive visibility

    • A free Startup Corner at 2026 VivaTech

    • A 5-month business development mentoring program with Forvis Mazars XFactory  

2026 Winner
Liz Dennett

Founder & CEO of

Endolith

The world needs more copper to electrify everything, but mines recover only a fraction of it. Endolith pairs engineered microbes with AI that optimizes extraction in real time - helping the world's largest miners pull more copper from existing operations. Learn more: https://www.endolithmining.com/

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Meet this year’s Top 5
Meet this year’s Top 30
Timeline

00:00:00:00

00:00:00:00

left to apply

left to apply

  • Launch of the Female Founder Award

  • End of applications

  • Official announcement of the Top 30

  • Official release of the 5 finalists

  • VivaTech Startup Prizes

  • Launch of the Female Founder Award

  • End of applications

  • Official announcement of the Top 30

  • Official release of the 5 finalists

  • VivaTech Startup Prizes

  • Launch of the Female Founder Award

  • End of applications

  • Official announcement of the Top 30

  • Official release of the 5 finalists

  • VivaTech Startup Prizes

Download rules

Download rules

FAQ

Who can apply to the Female Founder Award?

What is the difference between a Startup Challenge and an Award?

Do I need to buy a pass to apply for a Startup Challenge / an Award?

Can I apply for more than one Startup Challenge / Award?

Who can apply to the Female Founder Award?

How do I add images?

Do I need to buy a pass to apply for a Startup Challenge / an Award?

Can I apply for more than one Startup Challenge / Award?

FAQ

Who can apply to the Female Founder Award?

What is the difference between a Startup Challenge and an Award?

Do I need to buy a pass to apply for a Startup Challenge / an Award?

Can I apply for more than one Startup Challenge / Award?

Jury

Caroline Ramade

General Manager France

Q7Leader

Tatiana Jama

Founder & Managing Partner

SistaFund

Sylvain Freon

Partner & Member of the Executive Committee

Forvis Mazars

Julien-David Nitlech

Managing Partner

IRIS

Isabelle Mari

Director, Strategic projects

JCDECAUX

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