Five female-led tech startups will compete for the 2026 VivaTech Female Founder Award in Paris this June, as Europe’s largest startup and technology event continues its push to address a persistent gender funding gap in venture capital.
The shortlist, unveiled by VivaTech in partnership with sponsor and knowledge partner Forvis Mazars, alongside IRIS (knowledge partner), JCDecaux (sponsor), C’est Qui La Boss? (media partner) and SISTA (ambassador), marks the eighth consecutive year of the award. This year’s edition drew 444 applications from 85 countries, with 72.9% of applicants based outside France and 75% currently raising funds. The finalists will pitch on 18 June, ahead of the award ceremony on 19 June.
The five finalists are Ark Climate (Germany), Robeauté (France), Endolith (USA), Revolty (France) and ExoMatter (Germany). Together they span climate tech, healthtech, deep tech, energy and materials science.
The five finalists
Ark Climate, founded by Ruth Bosse, provides a software platform that centralises a local authority’s climate actions, enabling urban planners to manage, track and accelerate the ecological transition using data-driven tools. Bosse aims to bridge the gap between political climate promises and measurable environmental action.
Robeauté, co-founded by Joana Cartocci, is developing therapeutic microrobots designed to diagnose, treat and monitor the brain with high precision. The technology offers a less invasive alternative for brain treatments and sits in the healthtech and deep-tech sectors.
Endolith, the only US-based finalist, was founded in 2023 by Liz Dennett. The company operates a biological intelligence platform that uses precision microbiology, synthetic biology and cloud computing to unlock critical minerals from low-grade and complex ores. Its approach is designed for “drop-in integration” with existing mining infrastructure, aiming to improve metal recovery without significant capital expenditure and reduce environmental impact. Dennett holds a PhD in geomicrobiology and astrobiology and conducted research at NASA on microbes capable of oxidising sulfur and iron for life-on-Mars studies. She grew up in Alaska, inspired by her father’s career as a geologist.
Revolty, co-founded by Mathilde Janicot, focuses on the energy transition by developing solutions for the second life of electric vehicle batteries, making sustainable energy cost-effective for homeowners.
ExoMatter, co-founded by Barbara Bachus, uses deep scientific expertise and artificial intelligence to help scientists select inorganic crystalline materials based on performance, durability and cost for research and development. Bachus has a background at the intersection of science and business, supporting industrial groups in identifying sustainable materials.
Addressing the funding gap
The Female Founder Award has become a standout element of the VivaTech programme because it directly confronts a stark reality: startups founded by women still receive only 12% of total venture capital funding globally. In Europe, women-only founding teams saw their share of venture capital funding value dip to approximately 1% in 2024. The award aims to increase visibility, improve access to funding and forge key industry connections for women-led startups.
All five finalists will receive introductions to venture capitalists, visibility on the VivaTech website and two four-day passes to the event. The winner will gain fundraising coaching from IRIS, a five-month business development mentoring programme with Forvis Mazars Xfactory (the firm’s startup accelerator), and a free Startup Corner at VivaTech 2027.
VivaTech 2026 – the event’s tenth edition – takes place from 17-20 June at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, Hall 7. It is expected to attract over 180,000 visitors, 15,000 startups, 4,200 exhibitors and 4,000 investors, representing 171 countries with 60 national pavilions. Key themes include AI & Productivity, Cybersecurity & Defense, Greentech & Energy, and Deeptech. Confirmed speakers include Bernard Arnault (LVMH), Jensen Huang (NVIDIA), Yann LeCun (AMI Labs), Joe Tsai (Alibaba Group), Arthur Mensch (Mistral AI), Shantanu Narayen (Adobe) and Vanessa Wyche (NASA).
JCDecaux, a long-term VivaTech partner since 2016, also runs the JCDecaux Nurture Startup Challenge, which offers startups visibility through outdoor advertising. Forvis Mazars has sponsored the Female Founder Challenge for at least three years and provides the Xfactory accelerator programme. Previous winners and finalists include Hormona, Verley, Parallel Carbon, Virtuosis AI, Radiant Matter and Resortecs.
The five finalists will pitch on 18 June 2026, with the winner announced the following day at the award ceremony in Paris.
