Women's Entrepreneurship Day: Celebrating Empowomen’s Impact and the Road Ahead

Fuelled by vision, proven by results:
on Women's Entrepreneurship Day, we celebrate Empowomen’s two-year journey—€1 million in public funding, 25 women-led deep tech startups, and new research proving why backing women founders powers European innovation.

Every 19th of November, Women’s Entrepreneurship Day shines a light on the women who are driving innovation and building businesses that shape the future. In Europe, where less than 2% of venture capital goes to women-led startups, this day is more than symbolic—it is a rallying call for real change.

At Sploro, this year’s celebration is especially meaningful. Not only do we mark Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, but we also celebrate the completion of Empowomen—a transformative, EU-funded programme that over two years has empowered 25 women-led deep tech startups across the continent.

Before diving into the highlights, we invite you to watch our special summary video, where Virginia Gómez, EU Projects Area Manager at Sploro, shares key insights from the new white paper and reflects on the milestones and impact achieved by the Empowomen programme.

Making a Difference: Empowomen’s Success Stories

Empowomen was born from a clear challenge: the persistent underrepresentation of women in deep tech and the barriers they face in accessing capital, networks, and tailored support. Our mission was to change this reality through targeted funding, mentoring, and visibility.

Highlights from Empowomen’s journey:

25 women-led deep tech startups from 17 countries selected through a highly competitive process
€1.05 million distributed in equity-free cascade funding—critical, non-dilutive capital enabling founders to focus on innovation and growth
100+ hours of personalised mentoring and training, with industry leaders and investors
A thriving community now spanning hundreds of women innovators, mentors, and ecosystem partners
Direct access to pan-European investor and policy networks.

Many of these startups have already secured follow-on investment, expanded into new markets, and become role models for other women in science and technology. Empowomen’s alumni are shaping solutions in AI, health tech, climate, robotics, and more—showing that when women are given the chance, they deliver impact at scale.

Empowomen’s Demo Days 1 (Helsinki) and 2 (Bucharest)

New White Paper: Public Funding as a Game Changer

Coinciding with Women’s Entrepreneurship Day and the conclusion of Empowomen, we are proud to present our new white paper:
“EU Public Funding: A Critical Catalyst for Women-Led Deep Tech Growth.”

This in-depth research provides both data and practical recommendations for accelerating gender equality in Europe’s most innovative sectors. Some key findings include:

Public funding is a unique catalyst for growth: For women-led startups, EU funds are often the first and only accessible financial lifeline, especially at early stages.
Women-led startups outperform: Despite receiving a fraction of private capital, they consistently show lower failure rates (27% vs 59% for male-led startups).
Dilution remains a critical barrier: Equity-free funding allows founders to scale without losing control, which is especially vital for underrepresented groups.
Systemic change is still needed: Closing the gender gap in deep tech requires not just funding, but targeted policies, visibility and ecosystem collaboration.

The white paper also highlights personal stories from Empowomen founders, illustrating how targeted support translates into real-world impact. From launching AI-driven health solutions to deploying green energy technologies, these women are setting new benchmarks for European innovation.

Building the Future: What Comes Next?

While Empowomen’s official programme chapter ends, its legacy endures in the achievements of its startups and the roadmap it leaves for the wider ecosystem. The data is clear: Europe can’t afford to ignore the talent and leadership of women in deep tech.

Sploro will continue to support women entrepreneurs by:

Sharing open funding opportunities at cascadefunding.eu
Promoting the findings of our white paper to policymakers and investors
Strengthening our network of mentors and role models
Advocating for evidence-based change in EU innovation policy

“At Empowomen, we know that deep-tech women entrepreneurs still face structural barriers: limited funding, closed networks, reduced visibility. But our community—supporting 25 selected start-ups across Europe—shows that when we join forces, we turn those obstacles into real opportunities to innovate and lead.”

Marta Fernández - EU Project Manager and Empowomen Coordinator Tweet

For all high-potential women founders looking to grow without excessive dilution, targeted public support remains essential.
If you’re a woman innovator searching for funding, you can start right here at cascadefunding.eu.