EIC Women Leadership Programme: Cecilia Löfberg on skills, networks and next steps
- ›The EIC Women Leadership Programme offers tailored training, mentoring and networking for women entrepreneurs and researchers in the EIC and EIT ecosystems.
- ›Cecilia Löfberg, a CFO and EIC Accelerator beneficiary, says cohort 4 helped her gain clarity on career goals and expand a supportive network while she seeks a new assignment.
- ›The programme combines weekly virtual trainings, in-person events such as EIC Innovation Days, one to one mentoring and business coaching plus an alumni network and a podcast.
- ›EIC cites progress on female participation across its instruments but independent evaluation of long term impact is limited and necessary.
- ›Practical details: cohort cycles run regularly. The 5th cohort began in April for researchers and applications for cohort 6 opened at the end of June for a September 2024 start.
A leadership path for women innovators and one participant’s experience
The European Innovation Council Women Leadership Programme is a skills and networking initiative run with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology. It targets women researchers, founders and senior leaders inside the EIC and EIT communities. The programme offers short weekly trainings, dedicated networking events, mentorship and business coaching and aims to boost the visibility and capabilities of women working on deep tech and innovation. Participant testimony, such as that of Cecilia Löfberg, highlights benefits in clarity, confidence and professional connections. At the same time measurable, long term impact on career trajectories and venture outcomes requires careful evaluation beyond participant anecdotes.
How a participant discovered the programme and what she gained
Cecilia Löfberg, a CFO and business controller who has been an EIC Accelerator beneficiary, came to the programme while surveying EIC Business Acceleration Services. She said the programme matched specific needs she had identified for her own development and career transition. Cecilia describes the programme as providing practical tools, peer feedback and opportunities for in-person networking that helped her define clearer paths to her goals as she searches for a new assignment.
Her account stresses two types of benefits. The first is concrete skills and methods learned in workshops and exercises. The second is the relational value of being part of a supportive cohort drawn from different countries and industry sectors. Those peer relationships, she said, reduced feelings of isolation and created an ongoing support network she expects to use going forward.
What the Women Leadership Programme provides
Cohorts, timelines and target groups
The WLP runs recurring cohorts with different target profiles. Some cohorts are aimed at experienced entrepreneurs and leaders. Other cohorts support researchers looking to translate research into commercial ventures. The programme alternates virtual and in-person elements and adapts content following a participant needs assessment.
| Cohort | Target group | Timing and status |
| 4th cohort | Women entrepreneurs | Cecilia participated in cohort 4 prior to June 2024 |
| 5th cohort | Female researchers | Began in April 2024 |
| 6th cohort | Women entrepreneurs and leaders in the EIC beneficiary ecosystem | Applications open at the end of June 2024 and programme starts September 2024 |
EIC context, targets and indicators
Support to women innovators sits among the EIC Board's strategic goals for 2021 to 2027. The EIC presents participation metrics to show progress but these are partial indicators. The figures cited by EIC include the share of women-led companies and the share of projects coordinated by women across its instruments. These offer a snapshot of representation while leaving open questions about long term business performance, access to follow on investment and ecosystem effects.
| Instrument or metric | EIC figure provided |
| Women led companies in EIC Accelerator in 2024 | 30 percent of companies supported in 2024 which equals 42 companies |
| Overall EIC portfolio women led | 134 companies or 19 percent |
| EIC Pathfinder projects coordinated by women | 24 percent |
| EIC Transition projects coordinated by women | 23 percent |
The EIC also runs complementary initiatives such as Women TechEU for early stage deep tech startups led by women and the European Prize for Women Innovators. The EIC has operational measures such as prioritising invitations to Accelerator interviews for women CEOs. These measures are useful but do not by themselves prove systemic change. Independent evaluation of programme outcomes and longitudinal tracking would strengthen claims about effectiveness.
Participant testimony and realistic expectations
Cecilia’s testimony is typical of experiential programme feedback. She reports tangible personal gains. She says the network made her feel less alone and increased her confidence. She credits the workshops and mentor feedback with clarifying her path while she seeks a new assignment. These are valid immediate outcomes for a skills programme. At the same time policymakers and funders need to pair such testimonials with follow up data on job placements, business growth and investment outcomes to assess cost effectiveness.
How to follow up or apply
The EIC Community platform lists open calls for the programme and the EIC BAS newsletter shares announcements. The helpdesk on the EIC Community site can be contacted by selecting 'EIC Women Leadership Programme' as the subject. Frequently asked questions and cohort specific details are published on the programme page. Interested applicants should monitor the platform around the end of application windows and check eligibility criteria carefully.
Concluding note
Programmes such as the EIC Women Leadership Programme can address practical skill gaps and reduce isolation for women innovators. Participants like Cecilia report clear short term benefits in confidence, clarity and network access. For the EIC and its partners to demonstrate a durable contribution to closing the gender gap in innovation the organisation will need transparent monitoring and independent evaluation of longer term outcomes. Meanwhile women considering the programme can reasonably expect pragmatic training, mentoring and a strengthened peer network.