Be Visible, Be a Role Model, Win: IQONIC.AI Reaches the Finals of the Female Founders Contest 2026

On March 26, the Brandenburg semifinals of the Female Founders Contest 2026 took place at the fx.center Babelsberg—and we won! This means we’re moving on to the national finals on September 10, 2026. This is a milestone we’re very proud of—and one that also reminds us why initiatives like this are so important.

The participants and jury of the semifinals in Brandenburg. (Photo: Niels Füssel)

A Competition for Female Founders Only – Why Is That Needed?

Only two percent of invested capital goes to startups with all-female founding teams. Most recently, investment in such startups dropped by 58%. Only 10 to 12% of venture capital partners are women, and the proportion of female business angels stands at just 13.8%. 87% of all female founders view the underrepresentation of women as a structural problem. Eve Büchner laid these figures out clearly in her opening speech. They show that the Female Founders Contest is more than just a nice networking event. It is an active lever against structural discrimination and creates visibility that is otherwise systematically prevented.

(Sources: Ernst & Young Startup-Barometer 2024/2025, Business Insider, Entourage Ventures, BAND / Bertelsmann Stiftung)

Six Female Founders, One Stage

Six female founders competed with their startups in the Brandenburg semifinals: Frances Juchems (FUTURE030), Zeinab Khastkhodaei (AvaBrain), Dr. Julia Korensky (TripLeap), Nalan Sipar (MedyaN), Mariia Saveleva (Lexi), and, of course, our founder Maria-Liisa Bruckert. Each of them brought energy, confidence, and true entrepreneurial spirit to the stage.

The jury, consisting of Ghazaleh Madani, Rahel Strupp, Fernanda Lange Boettcher, Leonie Moos, Eve Büchner, and Johannes Ulrich, was ultimately convinced by the vision of IQONIC.AI. This secured our qualification for the Germany finals.

Congratulations also to Nalan Sipar from MedyaN, who won the audience award with 32 percent of the votes—a strong signal for a strong founder.

The two winners of the night: Maria-Liisa Bruckert and Nalan Sipar. (Photo: Niels Füssel)

Why We're Participating in the Female Founders Contest 2026

IQONIC.AI develops AI-powered skin and hair analyses for brands, pharmacies, and retailers. Our white-label SaaS solution enables personalized product recommendations based on a simple photo. It is GDPR-compliant, can be integrated into any platform, and was developed in collaboration with dermatologists.

We are driven by technology that serves people. Advice that is accessible to everyone—regardless of background, location, or budget. And AI that supports, rather than replaces.

We will present this very vision on the big stage at the finals on September 10, 2026. We can’t wait.

Big Thanks to Everyone Who Made This Night Special!

A big thank you goes out to the jury, all the sponsors—especially Ostwerk, Dimler & Karcher, KRAVAG Insurance, and BlueBerry Walnut—as well as the entire BACB team for organizing the event. Thank you to the City of Potsdam and the Brandenburg State Economic Development Agency for their excellent cooperation. And thank you to Angelina Knopf for her energetic moderation.

You can rewatch the livestream of the evening here.

See you at the finals of the 2026 Female Founders Contest on September 10!