What is the eligibility criteria?

We are looking for early stage technology startups who are seeking seed, angel or A round funding (under US$5M) with at least a minimum viable product or working prototype (past ideation stage). You also must have a technology startup fulfilling ONE of the following gender lens:

(a)  Female founder

(b)  Majority female users

(c)  Majority female consumers

(d) Technology impacting women positively

How do I enter?

To enter the She Loves Tech Global Startup Competition, eligible applicants must register online HERE, in compliance with the competition’s Terms and Conditions and according to the instructions found on our website. You will need to submit the completed form by the deadline. Please note that every country round has a different deadline. For any doubt, please check the website www.shelovestech.org

What is considered “technology” ?

All startups must be technology-based startups and for the avoidance of doubt, technology is defined as the use of science and innovation to invent useful things or to solve problems. This extends beyond digital, information or internet-based technology and covers everything from hardware to the creation of new products and solutions to existing problems.

How do I choose a round to participate in?

Startups should apply for a round in region where they reside, work or have operations in. For example, if you are headquartered in Singapore, but also operating in Australia, you are eligible to apply for one or the other. She Loves Tech reserves the right to redirect your application to the most appropriate region.

Can I participate in more than one round?

The Competition is open to startups from any part of the world. However, each startup may only apply for ONE (1) region considering the country where they reside, work or have operations in. Shortliste startups will be funneled into the most suitable/ most relevant target market to participate in the selection of regional semifinals. She Loves Tech reserves the right to redirect your application to the most appropriate and country.

I am from a country that is not listed, can I still participate?

Yes. This year we are covering 10 regional rounds with a maximum 4 key markets each to select eligible semifinalist. We are working hard to expand our global reach. If your country is not represented as one of our key markets, your application will be automatically funneled into the most appropriate selection round. She Loves Tech reserves the right to redirect your application to the most appropriate and country.

Can I participate if my company valuation is more than US$5 million?

Yes. Our criteria is that you must have total external funding of less than US$5 million. E.g. If your company has a valuation of US$ 5 million, but has raised total funding of US$ 2 million, you are still eligible to apply.

Does my business need to have a female founder? Can I participate if I’m a man?

Any entrepreneur, male or female, who is using technology to impact women positively is eligible to participate. Are a significant proportion of end-users or consumers female? Are products specifically designed with women users in mind? Does the product itself address a problem that disproportionately affects women? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you will be eligible to apply.

Who should pitch at the competition?

Any employee of the company may submit the application to the competition on behalf of the company's founder, however, only ONE of the founders must pitch at the competition. She Loves Tech reserves the right to allow exceptions under unforeseen circumstances.

How do you evaluate the startups?

Your application will first be evaluated by the She Loves Tech team in collaboration with our local partner. Shortlisted startups will be invited to pitch their business in front of a local judging panel prior to being selected as one of the semifinalists representing their country. During 10 regional semifinals, applicants will be pitching in front of a regional judging panel and a winner will be selected to represent the region at the global Finals. All selection rounds will be conducted in collaboration with the She Loves Tech global team.

When evaluating your application, we look at a range of criteria including market opportunity, traction, scalability and growth potential, innovation and creativity, as well as the calibre of founder and team.

If I am not selected, will I receive feedback?

Unfortunately, due to vast number of applications we receive, She Loves Tech will not be able to provide individual feedback. Please also consult the question above on how we evaluate the startups or go to the Competition Process section in the website to learn more about our process.

How will this competition benefit my startup?

She Loves Tech works with startups to take their business to the next level. If you are shortlisted and selected, we work closely with you, providing mentorship and/or workshops to prepare for your final pitch. At the Global Finals, our week-long bootcamp is specially curated to provide you with mentorship, training and access to our network of top investors and influencers from the tech community. Alumni startups from previous years have gone on to raise in aggregate over US$300 million in funding from some of the world's top investors, including Sequoia Capital, Vertex Ventures, Wavemaker, Microsoft and Amazon.

How will She Loves Tech conduct the Competition amidst varying global circumstances, particularly during challenging periods such as the pandemic or geopolitical tensions?

We will take into account the situation in each country or region where the competition is taking place. Some regional rounds will be conducted offline, while others will be online. All conducted pitch competitions will be made available to watch online at some point. Please note that all global events (workshops, webinars, etc) will be delivered in an online format to facilitate global audience participation. Please follow us on social media to stay tuned to our events and more information with local and regional round updates!

Do you have a hashtag that I can use to tag She Loves Tech?

Yes we do! They are #SheLovesTech2024 and #SLTGlobalCompetition2024, and you can always tag She Loves Tech on Instagram (@SheLovesTech), Facebook (@SheLovesTechOrg) and Twitter (@SheLovesTechOrg)

Where can I contact you for any other questions?

You can email us at competition@shelovestech.org if you have any questions or would like to partner with us in some way!