From breakthrough biotech solutions to advanced manufacturing technologies, the event showcased the remarkable progress of 160 women-led start-ups supported through the Women TechEU programme over the past two years.
Held at the Residence Palace in Brussels and streamed online, the event brought together more than 200 participants from across Europe’s innovation ecosystem to celebrate the programme’s achievements, share success stories and discuss the future of women-led deep tech.
For Sploro, one of the consortium partners behind the initiative, the event was also a moment of reflection — an opportunity to see firsthand the founders whose ideas, determination and technologies are helping shape a more inclusive and competitive European innovation landscape.
Representing Sploro at the event were Miguel García González, CEO, Virginia Gómez Oñate, Head of the EU Projects Area, and Maja Horvat, Senior EU Project Manager, who joined partners, founders and policymakers to celebrate the programme’s impact and the growing community of women innovators driving Europe’s deep tech future.
Despite Europe’s strong research and innovation ecosystem, women remain underrepresented in the deep tech entrepreneurial landscape. Women TechEU was created to help address this gap by giving women founders not only funding, but also the strategic support needed to grow their ventures.
Funded by the European Innovation Ecosystems programme under Horizon Europe, the initiative supports early-stage deep tech start-ups where women hold key leadership roles — such as CEO or CTO — and at least 25% of company ownership.
Behind the programme is a multidisciplinary European consortium bringing together organisations with expertise in innovation, investment and entrepreneurship support:
Within this consortium, Sploro contributed to the design and implementation of the programme’s evaluation framework, helping ensure that start-ups were selected and supported through a process built on rigour, fairness and transparency.
During the final event, Miguel García González, CEO of Sploro, shared a moment from the stage that captured the spirit of the initiative:
“Looking at a room full of brilliant women building deep tech solutions for Europe, it was clear this programme is much more than funding — it is a launchpad for women-led innovation.”
Over the course of the 2024–2026 edition, Women TechEU supported 160 women-led start-ups across the EU and Horizon Europe associated countries, helping founders move from early-stage ideas to scalable ventures.
Each selected company benefited from:
The programme was designed not only to provide funding, but to help founders build the skills, networks and strategies required to scale internationally.
The results speak for themselves. Start-ups from the first three cohorts alone have raised more than €53.8 million in private investment, while refining their technologies, expanding their markets and strengthening cross-border collaborations.
For the Sploro team, the final event was a powerful reminder of how much these companies had grown since the programme began.
As Maja Horvat, Project Manager at Sploro, shared:
“To meet people in person that you were supporting online for almost two years opens another dimension of connection. Inspiration and celebration were definitely the words that defined the day.”
Beyond the numbers and programme milestones, the Women TechEU Final Event placed the spotlight on the founders themselves.
The event programme combined keynote speeches, panel discussions and success stories from Women TechEU beneficiaries, creating a space where founders could share their journeys and connect with the wider European innovation ecosystem.
The event opened with welcoming remarks from the consortium, followed by a recorded address from Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, highlighting the importance of supporting women entrepreneurs across Europe.
Throughout the afternoon, participants heard from several entrepreneurs who shared their experiences building deep tech companies and navigating the challenges of scaling innovative technologies.
Their stories illustrated the diversity of innovation emerging from the programme — from biotechnology and healthcare solutions to advanced manufacturing and sustainable technologies.
More importantly, they highlighted the role initiatives like Women TechEU play in helping ambitious ideas turn into globally competitive companies.
The event was not only a celebration but also a platform for dialogue about how Europe can continue strengthening support for women-led innovation.
Panel discussions brought together founders, policy experts and ecosystem builders to explore key topics such as:
These conversations reinforced the importance of inclusive innovation ecosystems, where diverse founders have access to the funding, networks and mentorship needed to scale globally.
Beyond celebrating achievements, the Women TechEU Final Event also highlighted the growing ecosystem supporting women entrepreneurs in deep tech.
The event gathered investors, policymakers, innovation agencies, SMEs and ecosystem builders, creating opportunities for collaboration and new partnerships.
Networking sessions throughout the day allowed Women TechEU founders to showcase their technologies and connect with potential partners and investors, further strengthening cross-border innovation networks.
For Sploro, participating in Women TechEU reflects a broader mission: helping innovative companies access European funding opportunities and supporting initiatives that drive inclusive innovation across Europe.
As the Women TechEU 2024–2026 edition comes to a close, its legacy is already visible in the growing number of women-led deep tech companies emerging across Europe.
The programme has shown that targeted support, mentorship and access to funding can unlock enormous potential within Europe’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
For the Sploro team, the final event in Brussels was not simply the end of a project, but a reminder of the importance of continuing to support inclusive innovation and empower the next generation of founders.
As Miguel García González concluded:
“Let’s keep opening doors — not just for the companies we see today, but for all the women who will come after them.”
