Female Founder Challenge 2023

Women Building the Future of Tech

ABOUT VIVA TECHNOLOGY

VivaTech accelerates innovation by connecting startups, tech leaders, major corporations and investors responding to our world’s biggest challenges.  This is where business meets innovation. Vivatech organizes Europe’s biggest technology and startup event each year, over 4 exciting days in Paris. We unite the most disruptive topics in tech, rule-breaking entrepreneurs, and the world’s largest technology breakthroughs, building an ecosystem where business gets done. VivaTech is a global community including thousands of visionary startups, investors, organizations, corporations, researchers, media, and talent. The seventh edition of VivaTech will take place June 14-17, 2023.
 
 

 

ABOUT 50inTech

Connecting women in tech profiles with +100 companies, 50inTech is on a mission to break the cycle of inequality in the tech industry. Their all-in-one inclusive recruiting SaaS helps companies hire more diverse teams. The Female Founder Challenge is our impact action to help women tech entrepreneurs raise funds and break the bias in the VC industry.
 

 
 


  

ABOUT THE FEMALE FOUNDER CHALLENGE

 

The Female Founder Challenge, organized by VivaTech and 50inTech, champions leading startups and breakthrough innovation built by women. Our main objective is to empower women entrepreneurs by facilitating networking opportunities and access to funding through experience-sharing and connecting them with venture capitalists.

 

WHAT WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE

 

In the short-term we celebrate the women who are leading startups, who are developing the latest disruptive innovation, and who are dreaming up the society-changing technology that will shape our future.

Our long-term goal is to increase the representation of women at all levels in the tech sector, improve access to key positions for women, and highlight the added value that female-led, and diverse teams can bring to innovation. And we are addressing the persistent under-representation of women in tech:



The Female Founder Challenge is a great opportunity to unlock a pool of untapped women tech talent. Before the Challenge gets underway, a free online bootcamp is open to all participants, to help women entrepreneurs improve their fundraising game.

 
Don't miss your chance! 


Apply Now!


REWARDS

  • 🏆
  • 🤝
  • 🎯
  • 🚀

🏆

  • High visibility on VivaTech Event
  • A private meeting with the high-level VC jury
  • Mentoring sessions on fundraising with Claire Calmejane, CIO of Société Générale
  • A Startup booth at the 2024 edition of VivaTech

🤝

  • Pitch your solution in front of a jury of top VCs and investors
  • 1-to-1 meetings booked with VCs during Office Hours
  • Visibility on the digital platform of VivaTech 2023
  • 2  4-days pass to Viva Technology Event 2024

🎯

  • 1 4-day pass in to attend the 2023 edition of Viva Technology
  • 1 invitation to the Female Founders cocktail

🚀

  • Access to a free online bootcamp to provide all candidates with key information on how to raise funding as female founders

SELECTION CRITERIA 

Innovation

Relevance, originality and innovation level of the tech solution compared to existing alternatives

Scalability

Feasibility, realism and viability (technical, economic and environmental) of implementing the solution

Team profile

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

Business model

Demonstrated traction and product-market fit

TIMELINE 

31

JANUARY

Launch of the challenge

19

MARCH

End of the applications

27

APRIL

Official Announcement of the Top 30

16

MAY

Online Bootcamp +
Official release of the 6 finalists

16

JUNE

Official Ceremony 
Pitch + Award Ceremony


 CO-HOSTS

 
 
 
  
 
 
 

 

SPONSORS 

 
 
 
 
 
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INVESTORS

 
 
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MEDIA PARTNER

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 2021 WINNER

 
DFNS has raised a total of  $14.6 million in funding over 2 rounds, led by Definitive Capital and Hashed.
 
 
"VivaTech allowed me to not only meet my mentor, Claire Calmejane, who later put me in touch with the right people for my fundraising, but also to establish credibility with investors.”
 
Clarisse Hagège - Co-founder of DFNS 

 

2023 AMBASSADORS

 

 

We are greatful to count these incubators/accelerators as ambassadors of the Female Founder Challenge 2023

Jury