EU announces winners of the 2021 Prize for Women Innovators — five entrepreneurs awarded cash prizes and visibility
- ›The European Commission announced the winners of the EU Prize for Women Innovators 2021 on 25 November 2021.
- ›Three main winners each receive a EUR 100,000 cash prize: Merel Boers (NICO-LAB), Mathilde Jakobsen (Fresh.Land), and Daphne Haim Langford (Tarsier Pharma).
- ›The Rising Innovator award for under-30 founders went to sisters Ailbhe and Isabel Keane (Izzy Wheels), who won EUR 50,000.
- ›The prize is funded under Horizon Europe and managed by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA).
- ›The award aims to raise visibility for women entrepreneurs but the cash prize is modest relative to scale-up financing needs and systemic barriers remain.
EU Prize for Women Innovators 2021: who won, what they do, and why it matters
On 25 November 2021 the European Commission announced the winners of the EU Prize for Women Innovators. The prize recognises women founders who have launched companies that brought innovations to market. The 2021 edition selected three main winners from the European Union and associated countries and named a Rising Innovator for founders under 30. The scheme is funded under Horizon Europe and administered by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA).
| Prize category | Winner(s) | Country | Company / Initiative | Focus | Cash award |
| EIC Women Innovators (main prizes) | Merel Boers | Netherlands | NICO-LAB | Technology to assist physicians in emergency care | EUR 100,000 |
| EIC Women Innovators (main prizes) | Mathilde Jakobsen | Denmark | Fresh.Land | Digital platform to shorten and digitise the food supply chain | EUR 100,000 |
| EIC Women Innovators (main prizes) | Daphne Haim Langford | Israel | Tarsier Pharma | Medical solutions for autoimmune and inflammatory ocular diseases | EUR 100,000 |
| Rising Innovator (under 30) | Ailbhe and Isabel Keane | Ireland | Izzy Wheels | Fashionable wheel covers for wheelchairs | EUR 50,000 |
Winners and what the announcement said
The winners were selected by an independent jury of experts and announced during the European Innovation Council Summit in Brussels. The Commission framed the award as part of its wider effort to promote gender equality in innovation and entrepreneurship. The press release describes each winner briefly and highlights the cash awards.
Who runs the prize and how it fits in the EU innovation landscape
The EU Prize for Women Innovators is funded under Horizon Europe, the EU's research and innovation programme. Management and implementation are handled by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency, known as EISMEA, on behalf of the European Innovation Council. The EIC is the Commission's flagship instrument for identifying and supporting breakthrough technologies and scaling deep tech companies across the Union.
In the press release Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, said the winners were 'using technologies to bring positive change' and underscored the need for more women in tech. Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, responsible for innovation and research, framed the winners as role models expected to 'change the face of innovation.'
What the prize delivers — and what it does not
The award delivers three types of value: direct cash (EUR 100,000 for each main winner and EUR 50,000 for the Rising Innovator winners), visibility through Commission communications and events, and a signal that women-led innovation is a policy priority. That visibility can open doors to investors, partners and procurement opportunities. However the prize is not a substitute for long-term, patient capital or regulatory approvals required to scale clinical or regulated products.
Context: gender gap in innovation and the EIC's role
Europe has persistent gaps in venture financing, representation and leadership for women in deep tech and high-growth startups. Policy interventions include targeted awards, targeted funding quotas, mentorship programmes and ecosystem building. The EIC provides a range of instruments including grants and blended finance through the EIC Fund to support scale-up. Awards such as this one contribute mainly to awareness raising and role modelling rather than closing structural financing gaps.
Takeaways and questions to watch
The EU Prize for Women Innovators 2021 highlights promising women entrepreneurs and offers a useful publicity boost. Observers should track whether prize winners translate recognition into tangible scaling outcomes such as larger funding rounds, regulatory clearances for medical products, or measurable changes in supply chain performance for food platforms. The prize is one tool among many and its long-term effect depends on follow-up support, access to capital and systemic reforms to reduce gender bias in investing.
Further information
The prize is managed by EISMEA on behalf of the European Innovation Council and is part of the Horizon Europe framework for research and innovation. The Commission publishes detailed information about the prize, its rules and past winners on EIC and EISMEA pages and in EIC work programmes. For journalists and stakeholders, the original press release from 25 November 2021 contains the official text and contact points.