Female Founder Award 2026: Meet VivaTech’s Finalists Driving Global Innovation

The Female Founder Award is more than a competition. Every year, at VivaTech in Paris, the event highlights the most promising women in the global startup ecosystem, helping them gain visibility and connect with investors. The goal is to close the massive funding gap that still exists between male and female entrepreneurs. In 2026, these five finalists represent the cutting edge of science and technology, showing that the most difficult global problems often have elegant, high-tech solutions.

Ruth Bosse, Founder & CEO – Ark Climate

GovTech

Ruth Bosse is a Munich-based leader who believes that cities are the front line of the climate crisis. She took her expertise in software and turned it into a mission to bridge the gap between political promises and real environmental action.

As the founder of Ark Climate, Ruth is empowering urban planners to stop guessing and start measuring their impact. Her drive comes from a commitment to making German engineering a force for local good, making sure that every city has a clear, data-driven path to a sustainable future.

Joana Cartocci, Co-Founder & COO – Robeauté

HealthTech

Operating at the intersection of hope and high-tech, Joana Cartocci is redefining what’s possible in medicine. As the Co-Founder and COO of Robeauté, she’s helped lead the development of tiny microbots that navigate the delicate corridors of the human brain.

Her work is both personal and profound, aiming to give families better news by making brain treatments less scary and more successful. Joana is not just building a medical device company, she’s building a lifeline for patients who need the most advanced care in the world.

Liz Dennett, Founder & CEO – Endolith

DeepTech

In the United States, Liz Dennett is a powerhouse in the deeptech scene, combining a scientist’s curiosity with an entrepreneur’s courage. She realized that the world can’t have a green revolution without the right minerals, so she looked into the smallest organisms on Earth for the answer.

By using microbes and synthetic biology to extract copper, Liz is proving that heavy industry doesn’t have to mean heavy pollution. Her passion for the microbial world is changing the earth beneath our feet and setting new standards for the mining industry.

Mathilde Janicot, Co-Founder & COO – Revolty

Energy

Mathilde Janicot is a spark in the French energy transition, focused on making sustainability accessible to everyone. She saw a massive potential waste problem with electric vehicle batteries and turned it into a clever solution for homeowners.

As the COO of Revolty, she leads the charge in proving that second-life technology can be high-performing and cost-effective. Mathilde’s work is driven by her belief that the energy transition should be logical and affordable, making sure that no battery goes to waste while helping people power their homes.

Barbara Bachus, Co-Founder – ExoMatter

R&D

Barbara Bachus represents the best of German innovation, taking high-level research from the aerospace world and launching it into the global market. She’s a visionary that understands every great invention, from a better airplane wing to a cleaner battery, starts with the right materials.

By leading ExoMatter, she helps industrial giants like Audi and Airbus innovate at rapid speed using artificial intelligence. Barbara is a master bridge-builder, connecting complicated data science with the practical needs of the world’s most iconic engineering firms to create a faster path to progress.

Watching these five leaders is a powerful reminder that the next big breakthrough is often driven by a woman with a bold vision. Their success at VivaTech marks a turning point for industries ranging from heavy mining to modern medicine. Make sure you’re there to witness these innovations in person by getting your tickets to VivaTech 2026 today.