Women in AV & Tech Startup competition calls for submissions

Alex Kemanes and Dino Drimakis have launched the Women in AV & Tech Startup Prize, a global initiative aimed at identifying and supporting early-stage female founders developing practical solutions for the audiovisual and technology sectors.

The competition is designed as a long-term platform to encourage women entrepreneurs working within the AV ecosystem and related industries. Announced during International Women’s Month, the initiative is supported by the AVIXA Women’s Council, part of the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association, which promotes the advancement and empowerment of women across the AV and technology industries.

The launch comes against the backdrop of a funding gap for women-led startups. In 2024, female-only founding teams received just 2.3% of the $289bn invested globally in venture capital, amounting to about $6.7bn. The organisers said that the new prize seeks to address this imbalance by creating opportunities for women founders to develop and scale viable business ideas.

Alex Kemanes, Partner at Midwich Ignite and Regional Managing Director, MESEA at Midwich Group, who is personally supporting and funding the initiative, said: “This is about taking action, not just having conversations. If we want to see more women leading and building in our industry, we have to create practical pathways for them. The Women in AV & Tech Startup Prize is one way we are doing that. At the same time, we are backing founders who can execute, people who understand their market, define real problems, and have a credible path to building sustainable businesses.”

Applications for the competition opened on March 8, 2026, and founders from around the world are eligible to apply, whether their work focuses directly on audiovisual innovation or forms part of the broader AV ecosystem. The evaluation criteria will not depend on existing revenue or a fully developed product but instead will focus on problem-solving capability, market potential, and the intention to build a lasting solution.

Applicants will be required to submit a pitch deck of up to 20 slides along with a short video introducing the founder. Organisers said the emphasis will be on the strength of the idea and clarity of thinking, including the problem being addressed, the proposed solution, the target market, the business model, and the stage of development, which may range from early concept to prototype, pilot projects, users or revenue generation.

Dino Drimakis, Director, Strategic Development, MESEA, Midwich Group who is also personally backing the initiative, stated: “This isn’t a pitch-polish contest. We’re looking for clear thinking, real-world problem selection, and credible pathways to market. Fundamentals beat hype.”

The winner of the competition will receive a cash prize of $15,000, with the final announcement scheduled for April 22, 2026. Any additional collaboration or follow-up support will depend on decisions made by the judging panel and programme sponsors.

Submissions will be gathered through the official competition platform and will first undergo an eligibility and quality review. Shortlisted applications will then be assessed by an independent jury panel based on factors such as the relevance of the problem being addressed, the credibility of the proposed solution, market understanding, founder insight and the potential for execution.

To maintain the programme’s standards, organisers stated that the jury reserves the right not to award the prize if none of the submissions meet the required level. In such cases, feedback may be offered to applicants or the prize may be carried forward to a future edition.

The call for submissions opens on March 8, 2026, with the deadline set for April 6, 2026, and the winner scheduled to be announced on April 22, 2026.

Sources: www.broadcastprome.com