Are you a female founder with a groundbreaking idea ready to disrupt the market? The 10th Annual Girls in Tech Startup Challenge is your golden opportunity to transform your vision into reality. This premier competition invites you to join a global community of trailblazing women entrepreneurs, showcase your innovative product, and compete for seed funding to fuel your startup’s growth.
The journey culminates at Vanderbilt University’s Wond’ry on October 17th, where the top 10 finalists will present their startups to a panel of esteemed judges and an audience of potential investors. This is your chance to shine, network with industry leaders, and secure the funding and support your startup deserves. Should you hopefully make it to the final round, you’ll need to make your way to Nashville, TN to attend and pitch at the live event.
A Startup Challenge for Female Entrepreneurs
During this exciting hybrid startup competition, female founders will submit a video pitch for their early-stage startup and fill out a short application form. Pitches will be judged based on the innovativeness, framework, and market viability of the product.
Now’s the time to get your idea in front of an esteemed panel made up of seasoned investors, professionals, and executives.
SCHEDULE
Applications Open: June 1st—August 15th
Semi-Final Judging Round: September 3rd—September 10th
Final Judging Round: October 17th
PRIZES
Cash Prizes to be announced soon!
ELIGIBILITY
Individual participants must be at least 18 years old.
All teams must have at least one female founder.
All startups must be younger than 24 months.
The startup must have a software or hardware product.
The startup cannot have received more than 2M in funding.
Participants are strongly encouraged to attend in person for the final judging round on October 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN, USA. Participants will need to cover the cost of their travel and accommodations.
REQUIREMENTS
1. Submission Form
Submit your project to the Girls in Tech YouNoodle before the deadline and complete the submission form questionnaire. Submissions (including both a video pitch and pitch deck) can be edited until the deadline.
2. Pitch Video Presentation & Deck
Upload a short pitch video presentation including your pitch deck. This video can be submitted as a YouTube link on your YouNoodle application. The video should be a maximum of 5 minutes long and include the following details:
ProblemExplain the problem that you are solving and how consumers will benefit from your solution. Use a story to paint the picture so investors can understand your business.
VisionExplain your vision and the mission of your company. Keep it short and straight to the point.
Unique Value PropositionWhat makes your solution different from other companies who are addressing the same customer problem?
About the TeamHighlight your team members’ expertise and how these competencies and skills will contribute to the startup.
MilestonesTell us about any growth or milestones you have achieved so far and how a new funding round might expedite that growth.
Business ModelTell us how the business works or will work? How does the business make or will make money? Do you have a marketing strategy?
CompetitionWho are your competitors and what makes you better than them?
JUDGING CRITERIA
Business Description:
How well was the concept explained?
Market Analysis:
Is there a genuine need for the product?
How well was the target market defined?
Product Analysis:
Is the description of the product clear?
Is the product feasible?
Competition:
Has the startup clearly identified its potential competitors and defined their strengths and weaknesses?
Marketing Strategy:
How well defined and realistic is the startup’s current marketing plan?
Presentation:
Did the individual/team engage the audience?
Did the individual/team speak with confidence?
Were the visual aids (i.e PowerPoint slides, etc) clear and straight to the point?
