Under the patronage of the President of the French Republic

JFD GENERAL CONDITIONS & TERMS – 14th PROMOTION

The Margaret Awards are organised by JFD, a brand of the company the Bureau, registered in the Paris Trade and Companies Register under number 791 198 914, with its registered office at 18 rue Littré, 75006 Paris, France. 

1. ABOUT THE MARGARET by JFD

Founded in 2012, JFD is the premier growth accelerator connecting leading tech entrepreneurs with corporate executives and investors to sustain the innovation ecosystem. By aligning the five vital forces of the economy — Talent, Capital, Corporates, Institutions, and Media — JFD transforms cutting-edge innovation into solid order books and concrete business opportunities. JFD secures the trajectory of today’s leaders to build the champions of tomorrow’s economy, resilient in the face of major technological challenges.

The only women’s tech award under the patronage of the President of the French Republic, the Margaret Awards is an international prize that has been recognising women entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs and young girls whose technological projects and innovations address the major challenges facing our society since 2013. 

The award takes its name from Margaret Hamilton, director of NASA’s software engineering division, who developed the software for the Apollo space programme. It is thanks to Margaret Hamilton’s contribution that man first walked on the moon.

The 2026 “United by Tech” promotion is entirely dedicated to talent in artificial intelligence and will recognise women who embody the future of European tech and AI.

The winners will benefit from the JFD growth acceleration programme, worth €1 million, for one year. The programme is developed in collaboration with JFD partners. This personalised support meets the specific development and visibility needs of the winners: mentoring, coaching, media coverage, financing, networking, etc.

2. COMPETITION DATES

Applications for the 2026 Margaret Awards can be submitted using the online form available at joinjfd.com from Thursday 6 November 2025 at 10:00 GMT+1 to Friday 27 February 2026 at 23:59 GMT+1. 

At the close of the call for applications, the JFD internal committee will select the finalists for the 2026 Margaret Awards, whose applications will be presented to the jury of experts, which will select a winner for each of the following categories on Wednesday, 11 March 2026: Entrepreneur – Intrapreneur – Junior.

The finalists will be announced on that date, but the names of the three winners will remain confidential until the awards ceremony. 

Finalists must be available for the Margaret “United by Tech” awards ceremony, which will be held on Tuesday 14 April 2026 at Salle Gaveau (Paris, France). 

The decisions of the JFD internal committee and the Margaret jury are final and cannot be appealed.

3. TERMS AND CONDITION OF PARTICIPATION

3.1. Eligibility criteria

Participation in the competition is free of charge and there is no obligation to purchase. All entries must be submitted online; no other means of entry will be accepted. In particular, entries sent by post will not be accepted.

Applications must be submitted exclusively by a woman who is the founder or co-founder of an innovative company for the “Entrepreneur” category, an employee of a company who has developed a project in agreement with her employer while remaining an employee for the “Intrapreneur” category, or a young woman between the ages of 14 and 22 for the “Junior” category. 

Only innovative projects in the field of artificial intelligence will be considered for the ‘United by Tech’ promotion of the Margaret Awards. 

The participant must be a citizen of a European country or have an impact on one or more countries on the continent: 

Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France (metropolitan France and overseas territories), Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, United Kingdom, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine. 

The participant guarantees that she holds, either directly or through a licence, all intellectual and industrial property rights necessary for the presentation, development and marketing of the product or solution presented to the Margaret Awards jury.

The participant certifies that the content of her product and/or solution is original, innovative and in the field of artificial intelligence for a better world.

The same person may not submit more than one application for the “Project” presented. The participant’s contact details (e-mail address and telephone number) are requested in order to facilitate communication at the various stages of the Prize. 

During the period referred to in Article 2 above, the participant must download the relevant information, complete and submit her application form via the joinjfd.com website. 

3.2. Selection criteria

The Participant declares that the Project does not infringe, in whole or in part, any copyright or third-party rights, or any other provision of applicable law, and therefore assumes full responsibility for this Project. 

Only innovative Projects in the field of artificial intelligence will be considered for the Margaret Awards’ United by Tech promotion. Candidates must embody the future of European tech and AI through their vision, impact and contribution to an independent technological future for Europe. 

3.2.1. “Entrepreneur” Category

The project is innovative, focused on artificial intelligence, and addresses major societal challenges such as the environment (energy, climate change, urban planning, sustainable development), health (access to care, diagnosis, treatment), and transport (mobility, vehicles, infrastructure), among others.

The project will be reviewed by JFD and the Margaret 2026 jury, based on: 

• The relevance of your team: you must justify your ambition to occupy a dominant position in your market by highlighting the experience, skills and complementary nature of your team, as well as your ability to execute.
• Economic feasibility: specify the consistency of your financing methods and the economic viability of your project in relation to the identified needs.
• Market opportunity: detail the size and potential of your market. If you are targeting a new segment, explain its importance and its foreseeable evolution in the coming years. The aim is to convince the jury of the relevance of your strategic choice in terms of market and product consistency. 
• Commercial traction: if your organisation is already achieving tangible results (sales, contracts, partnerships, etc.), illustrate them with figures and concrete references.
• Vision and impact: demonstrate your ability to embody the future of European tech and AI through your contribution to an independent technological future for Europe.
• The quality of your video pitch: you will be assessed on your ability to present yourself and your project in one minute.

Applications without a one-minute video presentation of the Project by the Participant will not be considered. 

3.2.2. “Intrapreneur” Category

The Project is innovative, focused on artificial intelligence, and addresses major societal challenges such as the environment (energy, climate change, urban planning, sustainable development), health (access to care, diagnosis, treatment), and transport (mobility, vehicles, infrastructure), among others.

The Project will be reviewed by JFD and the Margaret 2026 jury, based on: 

• The relevance of your motivation to intrapreneurship within your organisation: you must justify the creation of the project within your group, as well as your experience and the team put in place to support you in its development.
• Opportunities: Provide information on new growth opportunities within your company based on agile and original methods thanks to your intrapreneurial project. 
• Growth: Prove that your project will lead to the creation of a new business or other innovative activities and directions for your company, such as the development of new products, services, technologies, administrative techniques, strategies and approaches.
• Support from your company: a recommendation is always welcome.
• Vision and impact: demonstrate your ability to embody the future of European tech and AI through your contribution to an independent technological future for Europe.
• The quality of your video pitch: you will be judged on your ability to present yourself and your project in one minute. 

Applications without a one-minute video presentation of the Project by the Participant will not be considered. 

3.2.3. “Junior” Category

The Junior category of the Margaret Awards is open to girls aged 14 to 22. 

Minors under the age of 18 must have parental consent to participate. One of the participant’s parents or legal guardians is required to complete a form for this purpose, which can be downloaded from joinjfd.com when submitting the application. 

Parental consent implies acceptance of the minor’s participation and her presence at the awards ceremony. 

For participants aged 18 and over, a photocopy of their identity card is required. 

JFD reserves the right to carry out any checks, particularly identity checks, before accepting participation or awarding the prize. 

The Project must address a major societal issue (health, environment, energy, mobility, education, finance, etc.) exclusively through the application of artificial intelligence technologies and highlight the Participant’s entrepreneurial spirit.

Applications without a one-minute video presentation of the Project by the Participant will not be considered. 

3.3. The prohibitive conditions

Any application or entry will be considered invalid if:

1. It is sent by any means other than the form provided for this purpose.
2. Any submission sent after the deadline, i.e. 27 February 2026 at 23:59 GMT+2.
3. Any submission from an entity that is not eligible to participate according to the eligibility conditions set out.
4. Any submission that is incomplete.
5. Any behaviour that contravenes the laws, values of JFD, regulations and applicable ethical rules. 
6. Any act of counterfeiting or unfair competition associated with the application.

In the event of force majeure, the JFD internal committee reserves the right to protect, shorten, modify or cancel this application. 

3.4. Information to be submitted 

The application must include the application form and a video presentation of the project lasting no longer than one minute for the Entrepreneur and Intrapreneur categories. 

For the Junior category, the application must include the application form, a video presentation of the project lasting no longer than one minute, and parental authorisation for participants under the age of 18 or a photocopy of the participant’s identity document for participants over the age of 18. 

4. JFD GROWTH ACCELERATION PROGRAMME 

Three prizes will be awarded: Margaret Entrepreneur, Margaret Intrapreneur and Margaret Junior. 

The prize is non-transferable and cannot be awarded to another person. 

The winners will benefit from the JFD growth acceleration programme, worth €1 million, for one year. This programme has been developed in collaboration with JFD partners to offer each winner personalised support tailored to their needs: mentoring, coaching, media coverage, financing, etc. 

JFD integrates the winners into its communication strategy and provides them with media exposure worth €1 million over a period of one year. 

JFD positions the Margaret winners for opportunities to speak publicly and in the local or international media, thereby developing their visibility and reputation among the general public, large companies, investors, potential partners and political leaders. 

The Margarets also receive VIP invitations to events organised or co-organised by JFD. They also enjoy a one-year membership to the JFD Club, worth €3,700 excluding VAT. 

JFD will support and facilitate networking opportunities for the Margaret winners, leading to synergies with its partners, start-ups, and public and private organisations, and will assist the Margaret winners in accelerating their projects. 

The winners will be notified by email, in accordance with the information provided during registration. 

JFD cannot be held responsible for any delay or problem in awarding the prize for reasons beyond its control or any other unforeseen circumstances. In the event that the prize is not awarded due to an incorrect address and/or change of address or any other unforeseen circumstances, no claims will be accepted.

5. MARGARET’S COMMITEMENTS 

5.1. You are committed to shaking things up with JFD 

JFD is actively working to reduce inequalities between men and women in tech. We have strong values of progress and inclusion, which you share. As a Margaret, you will help spread these messages and undertake to take them to your community, network and the media whenever JFD calls on you.

5.2. You agree to communicate on JFD’s actions in favour of parity

JFD publicises its activities through its spokespersons, JFD Ambassadors, as well as the winners of the Margaret Awards. You will be able to intervene locally, with the media, seeking to find out more about your ambitions/projects in common with JFD.

JFD produces content with high viral potential to support its communications. To this end, the Margaret is in agreement that JFD will also be able to disseminate and exploit their image on its online/offline communication supports, in the written press, radio/TV and web.

5.3. You agree to respect the JFD brand

For joint communications with JFD, you agree to speak to your community by always tagging @joinjfd and using the hashtags indicated or by default #JFD #lesMargaret.

In order to clearly identify you as a Margaret Award winner, you will add the mention #theMargaret to your social media profiles and indicate on your Linkedin profile and biography that you are a Margaret Award recipient.

The content you produce in association with JFD must include the JFD logo and be validated before publication.

5.4. You agree to promote JFD in your projects

As a Margaret, you agree to promote JFD in all related aspects of your project. In a non-exhaustive way, you will value JFD in the organisation of your projects by :

• Keeping the JFD teams informed of the progress of your project and looking for possible synergies with JFD initiatives (invitations to events, coordination on a particular theme, etc.);
• Inviting the JFD team to take part in your project;
• Including the JFD logo on all communication materials, placing content or brochures, and mentioning JFD on social networks. 

6. IMAGE RIGHTS 

Each participant authorises JFD, free of charge, directly or indirectly, to record and use her image on all communication media dedicated to the promotion of the Margaret Awards.

To this end, participants agree to authorise JFD or any third party authorised by the latter, for a period of 5 years from the submission of applications, to represent, reproduce, disseminate and exploit the image of the participant in question in whole or in part, directly or indirectly throughout the world by means of the written press, radio, television and computer, on all media and in all formats and more generally by all technical methods and processes known or to be known, and whatever the sectors of dissemination, in particular in communication media associated with the organisation, information or promotion of the award. Personal and strictly confidential information is expressly excluded from this authorisation.

7. CONFIDENTIALITY

In the course of the competition and the submission of applications, contestants may be asked to divulge personal and confidential information.

JFD and the members of the Jury agree to treat such information with the utmost care and discretion, and not to divulge it without the prior authorisation of the contestants concerned, provided that such information has been previously identified as ‘confidential’ by the latter.

Nevertheless, as part of the communication associated with the Margaret Awards, JFD is authorised to:

• to communicate to the press and to publish on the joinjfd.com website, the corporate name, the name of the project, as well as the name of the Project holder.
• make public the essential and non-confidential characteristics of the Project presented, without compensation of any kind.

8. LITIGATIONS

Participation in the Margaret Awards implies full acceptance, without restriction or reservation, of these rules, as well as a sworn undertaking as to the truthfulness of the information provided.

If one or more provisions of these rules were declared null and void or inapplicable, the other clauses would retain all their force and scope. All cases not covered by these rules will be decided by JFD, whose decisions are final.

The law applicable to these rules is French law. Any dispute arising in connection with this competition will be subject to an attempt at amicable settlement. If no agreement can be reached, the dispute will be submitted to the competent jurisdictions on which the head office of the organising company depends, except in the case of public policy provisions to the contrary. No dispute will be admissible two months after the end of the competition.