At the European Innovation Council (EIC) Summit in Brussels, the Commission announced the winners and runners-up of the 11th European Prize for Women Innovators. The prize is awarded to women from across the EU and countries associated to Horizon Europe, who have founded a successful company and brought innovation to the market. The winners were selected by an independent expert jury.
These outstanding women not only inspire future generations of innovators but also highlight the importance of diversity and gender equality in enhancing Europe’s competitiveness. This year’s edition showcases the remarkable achievements of winners and runners-up across three categories:
1) Women Innovators is open to women founders and co-founders from the Member States and Associated Countries to Horizon Europe. The winner is awarded €100,000, and the two runners-up receive €70,000 and €50,000 respectively.
Winner: Agnès Arbat (Spain) – Co-founder of Oxolife, a company developing innovative drugs to enhance fertility by improving embryo implantation and simplifying infertility treatments.
Runners-Up:
- Rhona Togher (Ireland) – Co-founder of Lios, which developed SoundBounce, a smart acoustic material offering superior noise reduction with versatile applications across industries.
- Fanny Bardé (France, Belgium) – Founder of SOLiTHOR, developing next-generation solid-state batteries using a non-flammable, environmentally-friendly solid electrolyte.
2) Rising Innovators, for promising young women innovators under 35. The winner is awarded €50,000, and two runners-up receive €30,000 and €20,000 respectively.
Winner: Camille Bouget (France) – Co-founder of Scienta Lab, an AI-powered platform addressing therapeutic needs for immuno-inflammatory diseases.
Runners-Up:
- Claudine Adeyemi-Adams (United Kingdom) – Founder of Earlybird, enhancing employment support through an AI-powered platform providing personalized assistance.
- Héloïse Mailhac (France) – Co-founder of STH BIOTECH, which developed SATIVITRO®, an in vitro bio-production platform that enhances the yield and accessibility of rare cannabinoids for pharmaceutical research.
3) EIT Women Leadership, for exceptional members of the EIT Community. The winner is awarded €50,000, and two runners-up receive €30,000 and €20,000 respectively.
Winner: Débora Andreia Campelo Campos (Portugal) – Founder and CEO of AgroGrin Tech, which developed a process to transform industrial fruit waste into functional food ingredients. Supported by EIT Food.
Runners-Up:
- Olesja Bondarenko (Estonia) – Co-founder and CEO of Nanordica Medical, developing nanotechnology-based wound care products that help prevent infections and promote wound healing. Supported by EIT Health. Elizabeth McGloughlin (Ireland) – Co-founder and CEO of Tympany Medical, whose variable angle endoscopy technology improves patient and healthcare system outcomes. Supported by EIT Health.
Background
Since 2023, the European Prize for Women Innovators has been managed by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) and the European Institute for Innovation & Technology (EIT). The prize acknowledges the invaluable role of women in driving transformative change and fostering innovation-driven growth in the European Union.
Over the years, more than 30 women innovators and entrepreneurs have been recognised, with over 100 shortlisted for the final, serving as role models, breaking barriers and reshaping the narrative on women’s leadership.
