UBS announced the 2024 Female Founders Award, continuing its commitment to promoting gender diversity in the fintech and enterprise tech industries for the fourth year in a row. This award honors exceptional female founders, co-founders, and C-level executives who are transforming the tech landscape and redefining what leadership in innovation looks like. UBS invites all female founders and C-suite executives in fintech and enterprise technology who are driving innovation to submit their applications for the 2024 Award.
Head of Women’s Wealth at UBS Global Wealth Management, Emma Wheeler said, “We are committed to helping female founders break through the barriers that still exist in today’s entrepreneurial landscape. Through the Female Founder Award, we are not only recognizing their incredible achievements but also offering them resources and opportunities to reach new heights. We believe that female founders represent a largely untapped source of innovation and investment potential.”
The nomination and application phase for the 2024 award is now open and will continue until October 20. The winners, including the “Rising Star,” will be revealed at the award ceremony on December 13. The recipient of the main award will receive a prize of USD 10,000, while finalists will benefit from a year-long mentorship program and networking opportunities. They will also have the opportunity to participate in Project Female Founder 2025, a global program sponsored by UBS aimed at enhancing investor readiness and networking for early-stage entrepreneurs seeking aligned capital. Additionally, finalists will connect with key industry figures, including prominent venture capitalists, providing them with a valuable platform to grow their businesses.
For the first time ever, UBS is collaborating with various organizations from the venture capital sector and the wider investment community, such as Anthemis, Tenity, European Women in VC, Epic Angels, and AMAM Ventures. These investor teams will be integral to the jury, providing a diverse and international viewpoint.
Andrea Fritschi, Managing Partner at Tenity said, “Supporting female entrepreneurs isn’t just about diversity – it’s about unlocking incredible potential. We’re thrilled to be part of this initiative, offering guidance and resources to help these women scale their businesses globally.”
Female entrepreneurs often receive significantly less funding than their male counterparts, despite frequently demonstrating superior performance when they do secure investments. This inequality is underscored in UBS’s 2021 report, “The Funding Gap – Investors and Female Entrepreneurs.” The findings of this report prompted UBS to develop a platform designed to recognize, support, and promote women entrepreneurs, while also addressing the missed opportunities for investors.