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GRANT CONTEST OFFICIAL RULES 

("Official Rules") 

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NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS CONTEST. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF RECEIVING AN AWARD. 

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1. DESCRIPTION: The Visa Finland & Baltic She’s Next Grant Program (the “Contest”) is administered by SIA Helve (“Administrator” or “Sponsor” or “Helve”) and supported by Visa Europe Limited  (the “Supporter”). Entrants may enter the Contest beginning at 12:00 am Eastern European Time (“EET”) on March 2, 2026 and applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through 11:59 pm EET on March 31, 2026 (“Entry Period”). 

 

2. ACCEPTANCE  is dependent on the applicant meeting the judging criteria and program capacity. 

 

3. THE CONTEST is void where prohibited or restricted by law, is subject to applicable federal, state, and local statutes, rules, regulations, and other laws (each a “Law”) and is governed by these Official Rules. 

 

4. ACCEPTANCE OF THE OFFICIAL RULES; LAWS: By entering the Contest, each entrant unconditionally accepts and agrees to comply with and abide by these Official Rules and by the decisions of Administrator or Sponsor, which shall be final and binding on all matters pertaining to the Contest. By entering the Contest, each entrant also agrees to comply with any and all applicable Laws in connection with his or her participation in the Contest. Entry in the Contest does not constitute entry into any other promotion, sweepstakes, or contest. 

 

5. ELIGIBILITY: The Contest is open to any natural person of any gender who meets all of the following eligibility requirements: 

1. The entrant is a legal resident of a participating country: Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, or Finland. 

2. The entrant is at least the age of majority (18 years old) at the time of Entry 

3. Must have been registered as a business entity for at least one (1) year

4. Must be a business that has a product or service in market and generating revenue 

5. At least 50% of the business must be owned by female shareholders

6. The entrant’s business must have a legitimate and compelling digital presence 

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6. HOW TO ENTER: To enter the Contest, each entrant must complete and submit the “Contest Entry Form” found on the Contest Site (helve.eu/shes-next), including completion of all of the elements in the Contest Entry Form (“Entry”). Only one Entry per person is permitted. 

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7. ADDITIONAL ENTRY REQUIREMENTS; REPRESENTATIONS BY ENTRANTS: 

1. All Entries must be received by the end of the Entry Period. Entries will not be acknowledged or returned. Proof of transmission of an Entry does not constitute proof that it was received. Incomplete, unreadable, late, or unintelligible Entries are void and will be disqualified. 

2. Limit of one (1) entry per person. 

3. In the event of a dispute as to the identity or eligibility of an entrant, the Entry will be deemed to be made by the Authorized Account Holder of the email address listed in the Entry, provided he/she is eligible according to these Official Rules. The "Authorized Account Holder" is defined as the natural person to whom the applicable service provider or other organization (such as a business or educational institution) has assigned the email address. An entrant may not use multiple email or social media accounts to enter, and if an entrant does so, all of such entrant’s Entries may be disqualified. 

4. Each Entry (including the Entry form and all other data, information, images, content, and other materials included in the Entry) must comply with the following: 

  1. It must be entirely the original work of the entrant. 

  2. It must not contain any individual’s photograph, likeness, name, voice, or other element of persona and identity unless the entrant has obtained all releases and consents from such individual necessary to enter the Entry in the Contest (or the parent/legal guardian for any minor depicted), and to grant the rights in the Entry as provided in these Official Rules. 

  3. If a professional image or video is submitted, you are responsible for securing usage rights from the photographer or videographer to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works of the image by Helve, and their respective agents, in connection with the Contest and promotion of the Contest, in any media now or hereafter known. 

  4. It must not infringe, misappropriate, or violate any intellectual property rights, privacy rights, publicity rights, or other proprietary rights of any third party. 

  5. All information provided in the Entry must be true, accurate, and correct in all respects. 

  6. It must not be created or submitted through any script, macro, or other automatic method.

  7. It must comply with these Official Rules and all applicable Laws. 

  8. It must be suitable for publication to a general audience and must not contain anything that: 

    1. is illegal, abusive, tortious, defamatory, pornographic, sexually explicit, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or otherwise objectionable; 

    2. promotes discrimination based on race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or age; 

    3. promotes violence or unsafe or illegal activity; 

    4. is threatening, harassing, or degrading; 

    5. serves to impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent affiliation with any person or entity; or 

    6. disparages or injures the reputation or goodwill of the Sponsor, Administrator, the award providers, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, products, or services. 

5. Entries that do not comply with these requirements (as determined by Administrator or Sponsor in its sole discretion) are void and will be disqualified. Media must be of high resolution and no more than 100MB per file. Photos must be provided in PNG or JPG format, videos in MP4 format. Entrants may be required to submit proof of compliance with these requirements, and failure to provide such proof on request may, in Administrator or Sponsor’s sole discretion, disqualify an entrant’s Entry. 

6. Neither submission of an Entry nor any other participation in the Contest creates any confidential, fiduciary, agency, employment, or other relationship or contract between Sponsor or Administrator and any entrant, and by submitting an Entry each entrant acknowledges that no such relationship or contract exists. 

 

7. By entering the Contest, each entrant represents and warrants to Administrator/Sponsor that: 

  1. The entrant’s Entry meets all of the requirements in Section 7; 

  2. The entrant meets all the eligibility requirements for the Contest; and 

  3. The entrant has complied with these Official Rules and all applicable Laws in entering and participating in the Contest. 

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8. JUDGING AND RECIPIENT DETERMINATION: 

1. Eligible Entries will be evaluated by the Administrator and external judges to determine finalists in each country.

2. The finalists will be invited to an online pitching session to present their business in front of the judges. Pitch training will be provided prior to the session.

3. The judges will make their decision by awarding point values from 1 - 5 (with 5 being the highest score) in each of the following categories: 

  1. Problem: how clearly the applicant understands and defines the problem they are addressing. A strong submission demonstrates a real, specific, and meaningful problem that affects a clearly identified target audience.

  2. Solution: how well the proposed product or service solves the stated problem. Strong solutions are clear, practical, and directly connected to the problem described.

  3. Innovation: what makes the business unique. Innovation may relate to the product, service, business model, technology, use of AI, delivery method, or market approach.

  4. Traction & Growth Potential: measures traction and business performance. Strong applications demonstrate progress through data such as revenue, growth, customers, etc..

  5. Digital Presence [INITIAL EVALUATION ONLY]: how effectively the business uses digital channels to communicate, market, and engage with customers. This includes websites and social media profiles.

  6. Grant’s Impact on the Recipient’s Business:  how clearly the applicant explains the use of grant funds, mentoring and the expected impact on business growth, sustainability, or scale.

  7. Pitch Presentation [FINALISTS ONLY]: a good pitch clearly communicates the business vision, value proposition, and growth potential. It is delivered with clarity, confidence, and good storytelling.

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In all cases, applicants must meet the requirements of these Official Rules to officially qualify as the award recipients, subject to verification. 

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9. ANNOUNCEMENT - Recipients will be announced publicly during in-person events:

  1. Finland:  between June 11, 2026.

  2. The Baltics: between June 11, 2026.
    The specified date may be subject to change.

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10. AWARDS AND APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUES (“ARV”): Each of the Award Recipients (3 in Finland and 2 per Baltic country, 9 total grants) will receive:

○ A 10,000 EURO grant 

○ A one-year business coaching, for recipients in Finland this will be provided by Feminvest (valued at 2,500 EURO) and in the Baltics by Novatore (valued at 1,800 EURO), as outlined on the Contest Site.

 

11. GENERAL AWARD CONDITIONS: All details and other restrictions of the award(s) not specified in these Official Rules will be determined by the Administrator or Sponsor in its sole discretion. The awarding of the award is not intended to, and shall not be deemed to, create any employment or similar contract or relationship between Administrator or Sponsor and any Recipient. No award is exchangeable, assignable, or otherwise transferable, except at the Administrator or Sponsor's sole and absolute discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute for any award one or more items or services of equal or greater value. The value of each award may be taxable to each Recipient as income. Each Recipient shall be solely responsible for all federal, state, and/or local taxes (including income, and withholding taxes), and the reporting consequences thereof, for any other fees or costs associated with the applicable award(s), and for any other liabilities incurred in connection with any award. 

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12. RECIPIENT NOTIFICATION AND AWARD CLAIM: Each potential recipient (“Recipient”) will receive a notification from Sponsor or Administrator (a “Award Notification”) sent to the email address indicated by each potential Recipient in their applicable Entry. Each potential Recipient will have five (5) working days to respond in writing to the Award Notification once it has been sent to the potential Recipient, including providing any requisite information to accept their awards. Sponsor and Administrator shall have no liability for any Award Notification that is lost, intercepted, or not received by a potential Recipient for any reason. In order to claim awards, each potential Recipient may be required to verify for Administrator or Sponsor their permanent address and social security or taxpayer identification number, for purposes of compliance with tax regulations. Upon Sponsor’s or Administrator’s request, each potential Recipient must also execute and return, where legally permissible, a declaration of eligibility, a liability release, and/or a publicity release and assignment of rights. If a potential Recipient is found to be ineligible, has not complied with these Official Rules, or declines the award(s) for any reason prior to being awarded, such potential Recipient will be disqualified and forfeit his or her award, and an alternate Recipient may be determined by the Administrator from the pool of remaining entrants based on the judging Criteria described in these Official Rules. Administrator may successively attempt to contact up to five (5) potential Recipient in accordance with such procedure, and if there is still no confirmed Recipient of a award after such attempts have been made, Administrator may announce an alternate means for awarding that award. The distribution of the award(s) will be at the sole determination of the Administrator to the individuals deemed to have won the Contest by the Administrator in accordance with these Official Rules. 

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13. USE OF PERSONAL DATA: All personal information collected by or on behalf of Administrator or Sponsor (including without limitation, an entrant’s name, biographical data, and city and state/province of residence) may be used for the administration of the Contest and as stated in these Official Rules. Except to the extent prohibited by Law, by acceptance of a award, each Recipient grants to Administrator or Sponsor and each of their respective designees the right to publicize such Recipient’S name and address (city and state/province of residence), photo (if provided), complete Entry and award information in connection with the Contest, in any media now known or hereafter devised, throughout the world, in perpetuity, without additional compensation or consideration, notification or permission. 

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14. LICENSE GRANT: By submitting an Entry, each entrant irrevocably grants Administrator or Sponsor and its designees the unconditional, irrevocable, and perpetual right and permission, royalty-free, to use the Entry and any other data, information, images, content, or materials included in such Entry, in any media now known or hereafter devised, throughout the world for brand promotional purposes and related activities. Administrator and Sponsor are not obligated to use any of the above-mentioned data, information, images, content, or materials, but may do so and may edit them in Administrator's or Sponsor's sole discretion, without further obligation or compensation. Each entrant waives all intellectual property rights, privacy/publicity rights or other legal or moral rights that might preclude the Administrator's or Sponsor's use of the Entry or exercise of any rights granted to Administrator or Sponsor, and each entrant agrees not to sue or assert any claim against the Administrator or Sponsor and Parties with respect to such use.

 

15. RELEASE OF LIABILITY: By entering the Contest, each entrant (i) agrees that neither the Administrator or Sponsor Parties, nor any advertising or social media platform, such as Meta or X, on which the Contest is advertised or through which it is accessed, shall be responsible for, and (ii), to the maximum extent permitted by Law, releases and holds harmless the Administrator and Sponsor Parties and each such advertising or social media platform from and against, any and all claims, injuries, damages, liabilities, costs, expenses, or losses of any kind (including, but not limited to, personal injury, death, or damage to or loss of property) that may occur, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from: 

  1. participation in the Contest; 

  2. any breach or other violation by such entrant of these Official Rules, the Policies, or applicable Law; 

  3. the acceptance, receipt, possession and/or use or misuse of any award (or any portion of any award); 

  4. any incorrect, incomplete, garbled, or inaccurate information, or any failure to capture any information, whether caused by entrant, printing errors, human error, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest; 

  5. any damage to an entrant’s equipment (such as a computer system or mobile device) which is occasioned by accessing the Contest Site or participating in the Contest; 

  6. miscommunications, or any failed, jumbled, delayed, or misdirected computer, telephone, cable, or other transmissions (including, without limitation, transmissions by email, social media (such as a private or direct messages, check-ins, tweets, and posts), and instant message); 

  7. for any technical malfunctions, failures, delays, difficulties, or other errors of any kind or nature; 

  8. any Entry, email, award package, or other material or correspondence that has been tampered with or that is stolen, misdirected, incomplete, lost, late, non-conforming, ineligible, or damaged; 

  9. any failure of any postal or delivery service; 

  10. any use of the entrant’s personal information and Entries as permitted under these Official Rules; or 

  11. any other events beyond Administrator or Sponsor’s reasonable control. 

 

14. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: NEITHER ADMINISTRATOR, SUPPORTER, NOR SPONSOR NOR ANY OTHER SPONSOR PARTY, SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE CONTEST, ANY AWARD, OR THESE OFFICIAL RULES, HOWSOEVER CAUSED, WHETHER ARISING IN TORT, CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHER LEGAL THEORY, AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH ADMINISTRATOR, SUPPORTER OR SPONSOR PARTY WAS ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, AND ALL SUCH DAMAGES ARE HEREBY DISCLAIMED AND EXCLUDED. ALL AWARDS ARE GIVEN AWAY “AS IS.” THE ADMINISTRATOR OR Sponsor PARTIES DO NOT MAKE AND HEREBY DISCLAIM ANY WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED OR STATUTORY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT) WITH REGARD TO THE CONTEST OR ANY AWARD. 

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15. DISQUALIFICATION: Administrator or Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any entrant who Administrator or Sponsor finds, in its sole discretion, to be tampering with the participation process or the operation of the Contest or the Contest Site, to be acting in violation of these Official Rules, to be acting in an unsportsman-like or disruptive manner, or with the intent to disrupt or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest, or to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person, and Administrator or Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages and other remedies from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by Law. 

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16. TERMINATION/MODIFICATION: Administrator and Sponsor shall have the right to modify, suspend, or terminate the Contest, at its sole discretion, at any time for any reason, including without limitation as a result of natural disaster, equipment failure, civil disturbance, fraud, financial, or administrative difficulties, technical problems (such as a computer virus/ bug), unauthorized intervention that corrupts the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper functioning of the Contest, or other causes not within the control of the Administrator or Sponsor. In addition, if, in the exclusive judgment of Administrator or Sponsor, the Contest (or any portion thereof) becomes compromised in any way, Administrator or Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel the Contest, to void any Entries submitted fraudulently, and/or to select Recipients from among all non-suspect eligible Entries received prior to the act that compromised the Contest. Should the Contest ever be terminated prior to the Recipient selection, Administrator or Sponsor will post a notice on the Contest Site and will make alternate arrangements to award the awards based on the judging criteria. Administrator or Sponsor reserves the right to make changes in these Official Rules and repost on the Contest Site. Any such changes will become effective upon notice via online posting at the Contest Site or other means of wide dissemination. 

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17. INTERPRETATION: The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Official Rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable or illegal, these Official Rules shall otherwise remain in effect and shall be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein. Administrator's or Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. 

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18. DISPUTES: Except where prohibited, each entrant agrees that: (i) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or connected with these Official Rules, this Contest, or any award shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action and hereby waives any objection to courts, whether on the basis of venue, personal jurisdiction, inconvenience of the form, or otherwise; (ii) any and all claims made by entrant, and any and all judgments and awards in favor of entrant, shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Contest, but in no event attorneys' fees; and (iii) under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, indirect, punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased. All disputes concerning the Contest, the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of each entrant and Administrator or Sponsor in connection with these Official Rules or the Contest shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the Laws of the Republic of Latvia, without giving effect  to any choice of law or conflict of law rules that would cause the application of the Laws of any other jurisdiction. 

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19. NO ENDORSEMENT: Nothing contained in these Official Rules or in any of the Contest materials should be construed as an endorsement by Administrator, Supporter, or Sponsor of any third party, product, or service. Award suppliers (other than Administrator or Sponsor) are not administrators or sponsors of the Contest. Supporter and its client financial institutions and merchants have not sponsored or offered this Contest in any way and have no liability to this Contest. 

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20. PRIVACY: Entry submission is subject to the following privacy policy at https://www.helve.eu/shes-next/privacy-policy

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21. SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS: The Contest may be advertised on or accessed through one or more social media platforms, such as Meta or X. However, the Contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, any such platforms. Entrants agree to comply with all terms and policies governing such platforms in connection with the Contest. 

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22. ADMINISTRATOR: The Administrator of the Contest is Helve (Helve SIA), Kuģu iela 26 - 50, LV-1048, Riga, Latvia.

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