Les Margaret Awards
Under the high patronage of the President of the French Republic
Discover the Promotion 2023 “Invest in Her and the unprecedented opportunities of the JFD Growth Acceleration Programme
For the International Digital Women’s Day, JFD held its annual Margaret Awards ceremony in the presence of:
Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister Delegate for Digital Transition and Telecommunications, Isabelle Rome, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister, in charge of Equality between Women and Men, Diversity and Equal Opportunities, Virginie Morgon, JFD 2023 patron, and all the JFD partners: Eramet, La Poste Groupe, Caisse des Dépôts, Carrefour, Mastercard, Google, AXA, Printemps, Meetic, La French Tech….
In total, more than 500 decision-makers from the investment, entrepreneurial and educational world gathered to celebrate the future champions of Tech: 4 women and 2 young girls under 18 years old, from Europe and Africa, rewarded by a jury of professionals, for the excellence of their innovations, with both technological and societal impact.
Les Margaret 2023 promotion “Invest in Her” are:
Margaret Entrepreneur Europe and Africa
- Maryne COTTY-ESLOUS, Co-founder & CEO LUCINE: Digital neurotherapy to assist and treat people with chronic pain. (France)
- Nelly CHATUÉ-DIOP, Co-founder & CEO EJARA: A mobile application to democratise access to investments and savings products. (Cameroon)
Margaret Intrapreneur Europe and Africa
- Hakima BERDOUZ, Engineer-Researcher at CEA, in charge of the intrapreneurship project HOPE, a digital medical device, cybersecure, with embedded AI of confidence, dedicated to women’s health. (France)
- Rhoda ODURO, Business development & operations Manager Developers in Vogue based in Accra : for her programme to combat the under-representation of women in technology in Africa. (Ghana)
Margaret Junior Europe and Africa
- Inaya YOGA, 15 years old for her project Youngsess, an application to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to access quality educational resources. (France)
- Melissa DJOUKA, 17 years old for her project Immo’Sure, a platform to secure the African real estate market and protect its actors. (Cameroon)
“For more than 10 years, we have been working with our partners to accelerate the growth of the Margarets and to reveal the economic and social potential of these future leaders to as many people as possible. This year, we are taking a new step by opening up completely new financing and outreach opportunities for them. I would like to thank all our partners for their loyalty and their unwavering support for the women who will make the world of tomorrow.” says Delphine Remy-Boutang, founder of JFD & Business Angel.
“Les Margaret Awards give a tremendous boost to women’s entrepreneurship! The Promotion 2023 Invest in Her, illustrates in this respect, the scope of technological innovation when it is used to improve our daily lives. As patron, I would like to salute the creativity, perseverance and optimism of these talented women who have explored technology to create new possibilities. These women are visionary leaders who are transforming the world through their innovation, and their ambition is an inspiration to us all. The impact of the companies created by these women is considerable, and their financing must be commensurate with the challenges they meet,” added Virginie Morgon, JFD 2023 Patron.
An acceleration programme that is being strengthened through unique and exclusive mentoring, financing and visibility opportunities to go faster and further.
During the ceremony held at the Groupe les Echos-Le Parisien and online, many economic actors and partners expressed their commitment to JFD.
“Our partnership with JFD reflects our commitment to parity and the representation of women in the tech industry. Together, we are committed to creating a more inclusive society.” concludes Pierre Louette, Chairman & CEO Groupe Les Echos-Le Parisien.
Several opportunities are offered to the Margaret 2023 to guide and accelerate the development of their projects during 1 year:
EDUCATION – TRAINING
- The Margaret 2023 will be mentored by staff and members of the COMEX of Eramet, Groupe La Poste, Caisse des Dépôts, Carrefour, Google, Axa France, Universal Music France and Meetic.
- La Poste group will provide the Margaret Intrapreneure Europe with the expertise of the managers of the group’s health activities and mentoring from its ecosystem of support and financing for start-ups.
- The French Chamber of Commerce in Canada is offering the Margaret 2023 support within its accelerator “Le Transatlantique” worth 10,000 euros. Concrete action in favour of France/Canada collaboration for parity in tech, promoted by the Abeona network, an initiative supported by La French Tech Grand Paris and La French Tech Toronto.
- Mastercard welcomes the Margaret Juniors 2023 to its Girls4Tech programme, which has already trained more than 3 million girls aged 8 to 16 in 60 countries. They will be able to test their knowledge and strengths that lead to STEM careers as cryptologists, data scientists or design engineers.
- Epitech Executive, Epitech’s professional and continuing education centre, is offering the Margaret Intrapreneur Europe an Executive MBA course worth €23,000. A special scholarship is also being launched for women entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs to cover up to 20% of the programme. Epitech’s EMBA is the number one degree for digital managers and tech entrepreneurs who want to accelerate their career and become true tech leaders, qualified actors of their company’s strategy.
- CIO Mag, Affectio Mutandi and Gabon 24 are offering targeted trainings worth €20,000 to the Margaret Africa.
FUNDING
- Femmes Business Angels, the first network of women investors, and WinEquity, the first fund dedicated to entrepreneurial diversity, will include the Margaret Entrepreneur Europe in the selection process of their projects to be financed for 2023.
- Leia Capital, a 100% women’s business angel fund, has included the Margaret Entrepreneur Europe in its selection process of projects to be financed by the end of 2023.
- La Poste group is offering a scholarship worth €5,000 via the “Invest in Her” programme and is inviting the Margaret Intrapreneure Europe to its Femmes du Numérique event at VivaTech 2023.
- Africa Mutandi will open its investor network to the Margaret Africa.
EMPOWERMENT – VISIBILITY
With these commitments, JFD is consolidating its status as a growth accelerator for women in tech. JFD also provides them with high visibility: a guaranteed one-year media presence worth one million euros, participation in leading international conferences, and a scholarship for the Juniors.
JFD thanks all its partners and all the speakers who took part in the debates and the Margaret 2023 ceremony:
Virginie Morgon, JFD 2023 Patron, Christel Bories, CEO Eramet and JFD 2022 Patron, Clara Chappaz, Director of La French Tech, Vanessa Chocteau, General Manager Docaposte Institute and Director of French IoT, La Poste Group, David Guillot de Suduiraut, General Manager Inclusive Insurance, member of the COMEX of AXA France, Laurence Lafont, VP Strategic Industries EMEA Google Cloud, Pierre Louette, Chairman and CEO Groupe Les Echos-Le Parisien, Elodie Perthuisot, Chief E-Commerce, Digital Transformation & Data Officer Carrefour, Magali Theveniault, Head of the digital division of Caisse des Dépôts, Guillaume Bregeras, Chief Knowledge Officer of the 2050 fund, Ludovic Donati, Chief Digital Officer Eramet, Tamim El Zein, Partner of Seedstars Africa Ventures, Damien Launoy, Director of Investments 115K, a fund of La Banque Postale, and Koussée Vaneecke, President of the Board of Euratechnologies.
As worthy heirs to Margaret Hamilton, the NASA pioneer and computer scientist who took humanity to the Moon with the Apollo 11 Mission in 1969, the Margaret 2023 received a Lunar brooch designed by artist Constance Guisset.
DOWNLOAD THE MEDIAKIT: https://bit.ly/MediaKit-JFD2023
ANNEX
Annex 1 -Jury Member les Margaret Awards, Promotion 2023 “Invest in Her”
Jury video: https://youtu.be/WeqS2Q4WLWE
The jury of les Margaret Awards, chaired by Delphine REMY-BOUTANG, Founder JFD & Business Angel, was composed of :
- Leod Paul BATOLO, Director and CEO – Comilog,
- Laure BIGOURD, Managing Director – Gabon 24,
- Virginie de CHASSEY, Director of Sustainable Development and Engagement – Eramet,
- Vanessa CHOCTEAU, GM Docaposte Institute & Director of French IoT – La Poste Group,
- Estelle COGNACQ, Deputy Director – Franceinfo,
- Amadou Martial DIALLO, Deputy Managing Director Ivory Coast – JCDecaux,
- Mohamadou DIALLO, Founder and Managing Director – CIO Mag,
- Cécile FRIEDRICH VUILLEMIN, Private Banker – Lombard Odier,
- Diane LAWSON, Strategic Partner Manager – Google,
- Grace LOUBASSOU, Head of CSR and Institutional Relations Africa – Canal+,
- Sylvain MAKAYA, Partner – Eurazeo,
- Virginie MOUNANGA, Founder Blanc Cristal,
- Maya NOËL, CEO France Digitale,
- Camélia NTOUTOUME-LECLERCQ, Minister of National Education in charge of Civic Training, Gabon,
- Charlie PERREAU, Head of the Start-up Department – Les Echos,
- Elodie PERTHUISOT, Chief E-Commerce, Digital Transformation and Data Officer – Carrefour,
- Anne-Marie ROCCO, Senior reporter – Challenges,
- Ileana SANTOS, Co-founder – Je M’engage pour l’Afrique,
- Barbara SESSA, SVP & Head of product management – Mastercard,
- Magali THEVENIAULT, Margaret Intrapreneure 2016 & Head of digital platform – Caisse des Dépôts
Annex 2 – Margaret Award Winners – Promotion 2023 “Invest in Her”
Margaret Entrepreneur Europe
Maryne COTTY-ESLOUS
Co-founder & CEO Lucine (France)
Digital therapy for the relief of chronic pain.
After multidisciplinary university studies in law, history and human and social sciences, Maryne Cotty-Eslous completed her academic training in neuroscience. Suffering from chronic pain since her childhood, Maryne decided in 2012 to launch a research project on the mechanisms of chronic pain in order to better understand this phenomenon. With two professional experiences as R&D director in two start-ups and a better understanding of this ecosystem.
In 2017, she decided to launch Lucine in order to provide a digital therapy capable of measuring, analysing and relieving chronic pain. Lucine develops digital neurotherapy to accompany and treat people with chronic pain.
Margaret Entrepreneur Africa
Nelly CHATUÉ-DIOP
Co-founder & CEO Ejara (Cameroon)
Mobile application for easy access to investments and savings products for everyone.
With a background in computer engineering and an MBA from HEC Paris and London Business School, she has a unique experience in Tech, traditional Finance and Web 3.0 (AI, Blockchain) in several executive committees and boards.
A year and a half after the launch of Ejara, the app has reached one million dollars in revenues and 100,000 users in French-speaking Africa.
Nelly Chatué-Diop allows users in Francophone Africa (and soon the diaspora) to access investment and savings opportunities they would never have been able to seize (crypto, government bonds, etc.) from €1.5 and directly on their mobile app, reducing the barrier to entry in terms of price and access without sacrificing security.
Margaret Intrapreneur Europe
Hakima BERDOUZ
Engineer-researcher in charge of the AI Intrapreneurship project at the Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA) (France)
Digital, cyber-secure, trusted embedded AI, remote monitoring medical device dedicated to women’s health.
Hakima Berdouz has more than 20 years of experience in integrated risk engineering and applied mathematics in the nuclear sector, with 10 CEA patents to her credit. The Covid-19 pandemic and her 50th anniversary were the triggers for her full-time intrapreneurial commitment, with the support of her hierarchy, to the technological maturation of the HOPE project, a digital medical device, dedicated to women’s health, for remote monitoring of exposure to emerging therapeutic risks and early detection of weak signals that are precursors to rare events.
Margaret Intrapreneur Africa
Rhoda ODURO
Business development & operations manager Developers in Vogue (Ghana)
Programme to address the under-representation of women in the technology industry in Africa.
Rhoda Agyeiwaa Oduro is in charge of the operations of Developers in Vogue – training women in the latest technologies and offering them positions with partner companies. She joins the company in 2020, just after the compulsory national service for all graduates of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. With a degree in mathematics, Rhoda’s ambition is to open up the career possibilities for women in technology.
Margaret Junior Europe
Inaya YOGA
Project Youngsess · 15 years old (France)
Application to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to access quality school resources.
Inaya Yoga wants to study political science at Science Po.
Her project “Youngsess” reflects her aspirations to help others. Inaya’s project aims to reduce the lack of access to educational resources for disadvantaged communities through an app that provides a platform for academic discussion, advice sharing, mentoring and sponsorship. Her app offers an alternative to costly school resources.
Margaret Junior Africa
Melissa DJOUKA
Project Immo’Sure · 17 years old (Cameroon)
Securing the real estate market in Africa and protecting its actors.
Melissa is studying Computer Science to specialise in Software Engineering. She is currently in her first year of Computer Science at the IUT Fotso Victor in Bandjoun, Cameroon.
Her project is a platform related to the Land Registry that allows people inside and outside the country to buy land or a house in complete security.
