The nationwide pitch competition Female StartAperitivo is creating more visibility, more attention and more capital for female founders for the fifth time. In 2025, it will once again take place in ten cities in cooperation with Hamburg Investors Network and Business Angels Club Berlin-Brandenburg. Applications are now being accepted for the Hamburg semi-final on 5 June.
© Lidija Delovska: Katharina Haas, CFO of INLEAP Photonics, winner of Female StartAperitivo 2024
Female StartAperitivo: procedure and conditions of participation
In 2024, only 1 per cent of venture capital in Germany went to all-female, 12 per cent to mixed startup teams. The gender investment gap has widened again compared to previous years. This is the result of a special analysis of the EY Startup Barometer from March 2025. To change this, the Female StartAperitivo (FSA) competition offers female founders a big stage to present themselves to a jury, investors and a large audience. Startups with at least one woman in the founding team can apply in ten federal states. The contest takes place in two steps: At first, the ten semi-finals will be held in collaboration with local partners. One winner each will then receive a place in the grand final in Berlin on 27 June, which will be organised by the Business Angels Club Berlin-Brandenburg .
The Hamburg semi-final will take place on 5 June. (Tickets are available here.) A startup can apply until 28 April if
there is at least one woman on the founding team.
it is not older than five years and has already been founded as a corporation.
the company is based in Hamburg.
it is at least at the early stage and has an MVP/working product.
