We are excited to announce that Mozilla is partnering with Women Who Tech on the Women Startup Challenge Europe. Mitchell Baker will be one of the in person judges evaluating the startup finalist pitches and Mozilla will award a $25,000 grant to the startup focused on building privacy, transparency and accountability into their work.

The Women Startup Challenge Europe will connect women technology innovators from cities across Europe to compete for $60,000 in cash grants. In addition to the funding, all finalists will also receive: pitch coaching, one on one meetings with investors the day after the Women Startup Challenge, and other crucial startup friendly services. The Startup Challenge, co-hosted by the Office of Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, will feature 10 finalists pitching their ventures before a panel of judges on October 25, 2018 at Paris Hôtel de Ville.

Women Who Tech is a nonprofit organization on a mission to close the funding gap and disrupt a culture and economy that has made it incredibly difficult for women entrepreneurs to raise capital. At Mozilla, we are committed to an internet that catalyzes collaboration among diverse communities working together for the common good. Promoting diversity and inclusion is core to our mission, so working with organizations like Women Who Tech furthers our commitment to create more diversity in innovation.

“I’m looking forward to meeting the best early stage women-led startups from across Europe and highlighting the startup most focused on building privacy, transparency and accountability into their work,” said Mitchell Baker, Mozilla Chairwoman and Co-Founder. “Recent research shows only 12 percent of founders at EU companies that received VC funding in 2017 are female, so I hope challenges like this will create more opportunities for a diverse future of entrepreneurs.”