Female Founder Challenge

The Female Founder Challenge

For the third year in a row, VivaTech, in partnership with 50inTech, launches the Female Founder Challenge (FFC) with two main objectives: (1) facilitate VC-startup meetings to accelerate the financing of women-led startups, (2) urge VC funds to commit to more gender equality at all levels.

About VivaTech

Viva Technology is Europe’s biggest startup and tech event dedicated to the growth of startups, digital transformation and innovation.

About 50InTech

50inTech is a professional community dedicated to improving the role of women in tech, by facilitating introductions to help grow their business and careers. 

Context

Did you know that today, only 3% of global venture capital funding is raised by female CEOs? 

Not only did total funding to female-led startups fall in 2020, but not one deal over $50M has been closed by a women-only team. Progress on gender diversity in European Tech also stagnated, with all men teams capturing 90.8% of all capital raised (90.3% in 2019) and 85% of all rounds. 

To try and reverse this trend, VivaTech and 50inTech are joining forces to promote women-led startups and celebrate the ones that investors should consider regardless of its stage. 

It’s time for equality. The FFC is a call to action to players on the investment side of the table: decision makers and dealmakers who need to become more diverse on all levels. That’s why we’re selecting a high quality pipeline of women-led startups seeking to raise funds, and to bridge the gap between both worlds. 

Before the Challenge, a free online bootcamp helping women entrepreneurs to become fundraising experts is open to all participants: a great opportunity to unlock a pool of untapped female tech talents.

The Event

A Hybrid Event

For the first time, the Female Founder Challenge is going hybrid! We are inviting the world’s most influential VCs and investors to meet virtually and in-person on June 17, for a pitch contest with the top 10 finalists while celebrating female entrepreneurs.

After the pitch contest, two finalists will still be in the running. The FFC 2021 winner will be officially announced during an award ceremony on June 17, which will be held on stage in front of a live audience at VivaTech.

All participants

Apply and access a free online bootcamp to master your fundraising campaign. 

10 finalists
Pitch in front of a high-level jury and an audience of global investors

1 winner
Boost your visibility and get access to 1:1 meetings with influential VCs. Involve 30+ VC funds to meet the finalists and the winner.

30+ global VCs
Involve 30+ VC funds to meet the finalists and the winner

Why participate?

You are a female founder, co-founder, CEO or co-CEO of a global startup in the process of raising funds (be it seed, series A, B, C or beyond)? You don’t have access to global investors or you lack investor connections? Apply to the Female Founder Challenge!

This Challenge offers you a unique opportunity to master your investor pitch, get exclusive access to investors and get a great visibility during an hybrid event open to a diverse audience.

The Challenge includes an online bootcamp on fundraising, 1:1 meetings with investors (Office Hours), a guided tour of VivaTech, an exclusive dinner with women executives, a pitch contest and an award ceremony.

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

Female Founder Challenge