Last updated: 12 August 2026

1. THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1.1 These terms and conditions (“Terms”) govern the Startup Finance 30 Program (“Program”). The Program is a global recognition list identifying 30 high-impact finance leaders at venture-backed technology startups.

The Program is produced and administered by Airwallex US, LLC (“Airwallex”, “we”, “us”, or “our”).

1.2 By submitting an entry to the Program, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not submit an application to the Program.

1.3 The Program is intended to be a recurring annual recognition list. These Terms apply to the 2026 edition of the Program.

1.4 In these Terms:

• “Affiliate” means, with respect to either party, any entity or body corporate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with that party;
• “Applicant” means any individual who submits an entry to the Program;
• “Confidential Information” has the meaning given in clause 5;
• “Honoree” means an individual selected for inclusion on the Program list following the review and verification process described in these Terms;
• “Selection Committee” means the independent selection committee for the Startup Finance 30 program;
• “Submission Period” means the period during which entries to the Program may be submitted, as set out in clause 2.

2. KEY DATES AND AMENDMENTS

2.1 The Submission Period opens on 12 August 2026 and closes on 13 September 2026 (“Closing Date”). Submissions received after the Closing Date will not be considered unless Airwallex, in its sole discretion, extends the Submission Period.

2.2 If Airwallex becomes aware of a technical issue that may have prevented or impeded submissions during the Submission Period, Airwallex reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to extend the Closing Date by a reasonable period to allow affected Applicants to complete their submissions.

2.3 Airwallex reserves the right to amend these Terms at any time on notice to you or by posting a revised version of these Terms. Continued participation in the Program following such notice constitutes acceptance of the amended Terms. If an Applicant has already submitted an entry prior to such notice, that Applicant will be deemed to have accepted the amended Terms unless the Applicant objects in writing within seven (7) days of the date of such notice; provided that if the Applicant’s submission proceeds to further evaluation or selection following such notice, the Applicant will be deemed to have accepted the amended Terms regardless of the foregoing objection period.

2.4 Airwallex reserves the right to cancel, suspend, or modify the Program (or any part of it) at any time if, in its reasonable opinion, the Program cannot be conducted as planned for any reason beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to technical failures, fraud, or force majeure events.

3. THE ORGANIZER

3.1 The Program is organized and administered by Airwallex US, LLC.

3.2 For inquiries relating to these Terms or the Program, please contact: [email protected].

4. HOW TO ENTER

4.1 There are two channels through which candidates may apply to the Program.

(a) Direct Submission

A finance leader may nominate themselves by completing the official entry form during the Submission Period. The entry form will require the Applicant to provide:

• eligibility information (including role, company, company stage, and market);
• evidence to be used by the Selection Committee (which may include Confidential Information as defined in clause 5);
• professional references; and
• consent to these Terms, to the processing of personal information as described in clause 9, and to verification of submitted information.

(b) Referrals

Airwallex may invite selected candidates to submit applications to the Program based on referrals from third parties, in accordance with the Referral Terms. Invited candidates must still complete the Direct Submission process to be considered.

4.2 Each individual may submit only one entry to the Program per edition. Duplicate submissions by the same individual will be disregarded (with the first complete submission being retained).

4.3 Submissions must be made in English. Airwallex accepts no responsibility for submissions that are incomplete, corrupted, lost, late, or misdirected due to technical or other failures beyond its reasonable control.

4.4 Submissions cannot be amended after the Closing Date. Airwallex may, at its discretion, contact an Applicant to clarify or verify information provided in a submission, but is under no obligation to do so.

4.5 Airwallex reserves the right to disqualify any submission that, in its sole determination:

• is incomplete, fraudulent, or contains materially false or misleading information;
• is submitted by a person who does not meet the eligibility criteria in clause 7;
• is submitted in a manner that is not in accordance with these Terms; or
• involves conduct that is abusive, harassing, or otherwise objectionable.

4.6 Proof of submission is not proof of receipt. Airwallex accepts no responsibility for any failure to receive a submission.

4.7 Airwallex’s decision to disqualify a submission under clause 4.5 is final and is not subject to appeal or challenge, and Airwallex will have no liability whatsoever arising from or in connection with any such decision.

5. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

5.1 In these Terms, “Confidential Information” means all information submitted by or concerning Applicants and/or the startups with which such Applicants are affiliated (“Applicant-affiliated Companies”) during the Program's nomination and evaluation process, including business plans, financial information and metrics, customer and revenue data, organizational and personnel information, and any personal data of Applicants or other individuals contained in nomination submissions.

Confidential Information does not include information that: (a) is or becomes publicly available other than as a result of any breach of the Committee NDA (as defined below); (b) was already known to the recipient without restriction prior to disclosure; or (c) is independently developed by the recipient without reference to the Applicant’s Confidential Information.

5.2 By submitting an entry that includes Confidential Information, the Applicant warrants, represents, and acknowledges that:

• the Applicant has the right and authorization to disclose the Confidential Information included in their submission to Airwallex and the Selection Committee for the purposes described in these Terms;
• the Applicant is solely responsible for determining what Confidential Information to include in their submission, and is advised to include only the minimum information reasonably necessary to support their application;
• Airwallex does not request or require any information beyond what is necessary for eligibility verification and merit evaluation, and Applicants should not include trade secrets, proprietary algorithms, or information subject to third-party confidentiality restrictions (including, without limitation, confidentiality agreements, customer contracts, or joint venture agreements) that the Applicant is not permitted to disclose; and
• the submission of Confidential Information is voluntary, and the Applicant accepts the risks inherent in disclosing such information under the protections set out in this clause 5.

5.3 Airwallex will use Confidential Information solely for the purposes of evaluating the Applicant’s submission and administering the Program (including eligibility verification, shortlisting, Selection Committee scoring, Honoree verification, and any post-Program reporting or audit), and will not use Confidential Information for any other commercial purpose (including, without limitation, sales, marketing, business development, or product development activities) without the Applicant’s separate written consent.

5.4 Confidential Information will only be disclosed to:

• members of the Selection Committee, subject to the Committee NDA described in clause 5.5;
• Airwallex personnel directly involved in the administration of the Program; and
• third-party service providers and contractors engaged by Airwallex in connection with the Program (including, without limitation, web-hosting providers, platform providers and verification services).

5.5 Each member of the Selection Committee will execute a non-disclosure agreement (“Committee NDA”) prior to receiving access to any submission materials. The Committee NDA will, at a minimum, prohibit the use of Confidential Information for any purpose other than reviewing, evaluating, scoring and deliberating on applicant and candidate submissions and related materials.

5.6 Airwallex will implement reasonable procedures to identify and manage conflicts of interest, including requiring each Committee member to declare known conflicts.

5.7 Confidential Information will be retained only for as long as reasonably necessary to administer the current Program cycle (including verification, any post-announcement audit or compliance review, and resolution of any disputes arising from the Program). Following the conclusion of such purposes, Airwallex will securely delete or destroy Confidential Information in its possession, except where:

• retention is required by applicable law, regulation, or court order;
• the information is contained in automated backup systems from which targeted deletion is not practicable, in which case the information will remain subject to the obligations of this clause 5 until deletion occurs in the ordinary course; or
• the Applicant has been selected as an Honoree and the information forms part of their published Honoree profile (in which case, the Applicant’s consent to publication under clause 10 governs).

5.8 Airwallex will take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect Confidential Information against unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. However, the Applicant acknowledges that:

• no system of data protection can guarantee absolute security against all threats, including sophisticated cyberattacks, unauthorized third-party access, or accidental disclosure despite reasonable safeguards;
• to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Airwallex will not be liable for any unauthorized access to, use of, or disclosure of Confidential Information, except to the extent directly caused by Airwallex’s gross negligence or willful misconduct; and
• the Applicant should not include in their submission any Confidential Information that the Applicant is unwilling to have reviewed under the protections described in this clause 5.

5.9 Nothing in these Terms restricts Airwallex or its Affiliates from: (a) evaluating, investing in, partnering with, contracting with, or otherwise engaging with companies that are similar to, or competitive with, an Applicant-affiliated Company; (b) developing or offering products, services, or features that may be similar to those described in the Applicant’s submission; or (c) continuing any commercial activity in the ordinary course of its business, provided that Airwallex does not use the Applicant’s specific Confidential Information (as distinguished from general knowledge, skills, experience, and know-how retained in the unaided memory of individuals who have had access to such information) in doing so. For the avoidance of doubt, the general knowledge that a particular company exists, operates in a given market, or has received venture funding does not constitute Confidential Information.

6. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

6.1 The Program follows an editorial recognition model. It is not a judged competition or award in the traditional sense. Unless you are notified otherwise by Airwallex in writing, there is no cash prize, grant, or other monetary benefit associated with inclusion on the Program list.

6.2 The Selection Committee’s decisions are final and no correspondence or discussion will be entered into regarding the outcome of the selection process.

6.3 Airwallex reserves the right to appoint, remove, or replace members of the Selection Committee at any time and for any reason.

6.4 Neither Airwallex nor any member of the Selection Committee is obliged to provide feedback on any submission or to disclose scores, rankings, or reasons for any selection or non-selection decision.

7. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

7.1 To be eligible for the Program, an Applicant must, at the time of submission:

• hold a finance leadership role (such as Chief Financial Officer, VP Finance, Head of Finance, or equivalent) at a venture-backed, high-growth technology startup; or
• be a founder or Chief Operating Officer who demonstrably owns the finance function at such a company.

7.2 The relevant Applicant-affiliated Company must have received equity financing from one or more institutional venture capital or growth equity investors.

7.3 The Program is open to candidates primarily operating in the following focus markets: United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Singapore, China, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel.

7.4 There is no fee to be nominated for or included in the Program. There are no paid placements, sponsor logos, or other mechanism by which payment of any kind can influence selection for the Program list.

7.5 The following persons are not eligible to submit or be considered for the Program:

• employees of Airwallex or any Affiliate; and
• immediate family members (spouse, parent, child, or sibling) of any employee of Airwallex or any Affiliate.

7.6 Airwallex reserves the right to verify any eligibility information provided in a submission and to disqualify any Applicant who does not meet the eligibility criteria or who has provided false or misleading information regarding their eligibility.

8. RECOGNITION AND HONOREE STATUS

What Recognition Comprises

8.1 The Program does not confer any cash prize, grant, equity, travel benefit, or other monetary or tangible award, unless you are notified otherwise by Airwallex in writing.

8.2 Recognition as a Program Honoree comprises:

• inclusion as one of the 30 named Honorees on the published Program list;
• an Honoree profile published on the Program reveal microsite; and
• the opportunity to participate in associated public relations, media, and promotional activities connected with the Program.

8.3 There is no cash alternative or substitute for the recognition described in clause 8.2.

8.4 Honoree status is personal to the individual and is not transferable.

Notification and Acceptance

8.5 Airwallex will notify successful Applicants of their selection as Honorees via the contact details provided in their submission. Airwallex will use reasonable endeavors to notify Honorees prior to the public announcement of the list, but the timing and manner of notification is at Airwallex’s discretion.

8.6 An Applicant may decline Honoree status at any time prior to the public announcement by notifying Airwallex in writing. Once the list has been publicly announced, an Honoree may request removal from the microsite, but Airwallex cannot guarantee retraction of third-party media coverage.

8.7 There is no obligation on any Honoree to accept or participate in publicity activities. However, Honoree status is contingent upon successful verification of the Applicant’s submission.

8.8 Airwallex reserves the right to revoke or rescind Honoree status (including removal from the published list and microsite) at any time if, in its reasonable determination:

• the Honoree’s submission contained materially false or misleading information, or information that cannot be verified;
• the Honoree obtained selection through fraud, deception, or misrepresentation;
• the Honoree has breached these Terms;
• the Honoree’s continued association with the Program would, in Airwallex’s reasonable opinion, bring the Program or Airwallex into disrepute; or
• revocation is required by law, regulation, or court order.

8.9 In the event of revocation, the Honoree must immediately cease using the Program name, branding, and any designation of Honoree status in connection with their professional activities.

9. PERSONAL INFORMATION

9.1 By submitting an entry, the Applicant consents to the collection, use, and processing of their personal information for the purposes of administering the Program, including eligibility screening, shortlisting, Selection Committee review, verification, and (if selected) publication of their Honoree profile.

9.2 Personal information collected through the submission form may be shared with:

• members of the Selection Committee, solely for the purpose of reviewing, evaluating, scoring and deliberating on applicant and candidate submissions and related materials;
• Airwallex’s service providers and contractors engaged in connection with the Program (including, without limitation, web-hosting providers, platform providers and verification services); and
• Airwallex’s Affiliates and their employees for purposes related to the Program.

9.3 The provision of personal information in connection with the Program is voluntary. However, if an Applicant does not provide the personal information required by the submission form, Airwallex may not be able to process the Applicant’s submission or consider the Applicant for the Program.

9.4 An Applicant may request the removal of their personal information from the Program by contacting [email protected].

9.5 Airwallex will use reasonable endeavors to comply with such requests, subject to any legal or regulatory obligations requiring retention. An Applicant should be aware that a removal request submitted prior to the announcement of the list will result in the withdrawal of their submission and forfeiture of eligibility for that edition of the Program.

9.6 All personal information will be handled in accordance with Airwallex’s Privacy Policy (as amended, updated or replaced from time to time).

10. BRANDING AND PUBLICITY

Warranties and Indemnity

10.1 By submitting an entry, the Applicant warrants and represents that:

• all information, materials, logos, trademarks, images, and branding submitted as part of their entry are either owned by the Applicant or used with the express permission of the relevant rights holder;
• the submission does not infringe the intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or any other rights of any third party;
• the submission does not contain any content that is defamatory, obscene, harassing, threatening, or otherwise unlawful; and
• the Applicant has full authority to make the submission and grant the rights described in these Terms.

10.2 The Applicant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Airwallex, its Affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in connection with (a) any breach of any warranty, representation, or obligation of the Applicant under these Terms; (b) any fraudulent, false, or misleading information provided by the Applicant in connection with eligibility or a submission.

Marketing consent

10.3 By submitting an entry, the Applicant consents to Airwallex using their name, professional title, company name, and submission information for reasonable marketing and publicity purposes in connection with the Program, including but not limited to promotion of the Program on Airwallex’s website, social media channels, and marketing materials.

10.4 If selected as an Honoree, the Applicant further consents to:

• the publication of their name, likeness, professional biography, company information, and profile on the Program microsite and in associated media;
• participation in reasonable photography, video recording, or interviews in connection with the Program (noting that such participation is voluntary per clause 8.6 and 8.7); and
• the use of their name, likeness, and branding in promotional materials for the Program and for Airwallex generally, subject to the license in clause 10.5.

10.5 Each Honoree grants to Airwallex a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual (subject to clause 10.6), irrevocable license to use, reproduce, publish, and display the Honoree’s name, likeness, professional biography, company branding, and Honoree profile in any medium now known or hereafter devised, in connection with the Program and Airwallex’s business. This license includes the right to sublicense to Affiliates.

10.6 The license in clause 10.5 survives revocation of Honoree status pursuant to clause 8.8, except that Airwallex will use reasonable endeavors to remove or cease active use of such materials within a reasonable period following revocation, subject to: (a) materials already in circulation or published by third parties; and (b) any archival or historical references to the Program.

10.7 To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Applicant covenants not to seek injunctive or other equitable relief that would restrain or prevent the exploitation or use of any materials in which the Applicant appears or is referenced in connection with the Program, and the Applicant’s sole remedy for any claim arising in connection with Airwallex’s use of such materials shall be a claim for damages.

Ownership of Program IP

10.8 The Applicant acknowledges and agrees that Airwallex is the sole and exclusive owner of all rights, title, and interest in and to the “Startup Finance 30” name, all associated logos, branding, and the format and methodology of the Program. Nothing in these Terms grants the Applicant any right or license to use the Startup Finance 30 name or branding except as expressly authorized in writing by Airwallex.

11. GENERAL

11.1 To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Airwallex excludes all liability (including liability for negligence) for any loss, damage, cost, or expense suffered or incurred by any Applicant in connection with the Program, including (without limitation) any loss arising from any act or omission of the Selection Committee or from the failure to be selected as an Honoree. This clause 11.1 is subject to, and does not limit, the specific liability provisions in clause 5.8 relating to Confidential Information.

11.2 To the extent Airwallex has any liability that is not excluded under clause 11.1, Airwallex’s aggregate liability to any Applicant arising out of or in connection with the Program or these Terms will not exceed USD 10,000.

11.3 The Program, and all related materials, content, and services, are provided “as is” and “as available,” without warranties of any kind, whether express, implied, or statutory. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Airwallex disclaims all implied warranties, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

11.4 Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot be excluded or limited by applicable law.

11.5 These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state courts located in the City and County of San Francisco.

11.6 If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

11.7 A failure or delay by Airwallex in exercising any right, power, or privilege under these Terms does not operate as a waiver thereof.

11.8 These Terms constitute the entire agreement between the Applicant and Airwallex in relation to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, and arrangements relating to the Program.

11.9 Airwallex may freely assign, transfer, novate, or delegate any or all of its rights and obligations under these Terms, including to an Affiliate or in connection with any merger, reorganization, acquisition, or sale of all or substantially all of the assets or business relating to the Program, without the Applicant’s consent. The Applicant may not assign, transfer, or delegate any of its rights or obligations under these Terms without Airwallex’s prior written consent.