SheEIC episode 2: How women in innovation can speak with clarity and impact
- ›The EIC Women Leadership Programme released SheEIC episode 2, focused on communication strategies for women in innovation.
- ›Guests include Niamh Donnelly, co-founder of Akara Robotics and 2022 EU Prize for Women Innovators winner, and communication expert Rebecca Williams.
- ›SheEIC is available now on the EIC Community YouTube channel with Spotify and the European Commission Audiovisual Service editions coming soon.
- ›The podcast is framed as part of the EIC Women Leadership Programme within the EIC Business Acceleration Services, which targets skill building and networking for women in deep tech.
- ›The initiative is useful but its practical impact will depend on measurable follow-up, broader geographic reach and sustained funding and access.
SheEIC episode 2: Speak volumes - strategies for clear and impactful communication
The European Innovation Council's Women Leadership Programme has released the second episode of SheEIC, a podcast series aimed at amplifying women’s voices in tech and innovation. The episode concentrates on communication skills that matter when pitching ideas, negotiating with partners, leading teams and engaging public audiences. The host is Oana Popescu from the EIC and guests include Niamh Donnelly, co-founder of Akara Robotics and recipient of the 2022 EU Prize for Women Innovators, and Rebecca Williams, a specialist in public speaking, storytelling and presentations.
SheEIC episode 2 is available now on the EIC Community YouTube channel. Episodes will be published on Spotify and via the European Commission’s Audiovisual Service in the coming weeks. The EIC encourages listeners to subscribe on YouTube and to watch for new streaming options on the programme’s page.
What the episode covers and why it matters
The episode explores practical tactics and habits for communicating with clarity and influence. Topics include structuring a pitch, using narrative to explain technical ideas, projecting confidence in public speaking situations, and techniques for persuasive negotiation. The conversation mixes lived experience from a serial entrepreneur working in robotics with applied advice from a communications trainer.
How SheEIC fits into EIC programmes for women innovators
SheEIC is produced under the EIC Women Leadership Programme which itself is part of the EIC Business Acceleration Services. The Women Leadership Programme runs cohort-based training, mentoring and coaching for women founders and researchers connected to EIC and EIT projects. The podcast is positioned as a low-barrier, scalable format to share lessons from programme alumni and trainers.
| Episode | Title | Topic |
| SheEIC #1 | It takes a village | Building a support network as a woman in innovation |
| SheEIC #2 | Speak volumes | Strategies for clear and impactful communication |
| SheEIC #3 | From researcher to entrepreneur | Tech transfer and turning research into a business |
| SheEIC #4 | Funding your dreams | Raising funds and attracting investors |
| SheEIC #5 | Decision-making in tech leadership | Balancing innovation and risk |
Context: EIC actions to support women in deep tech
Helping more women lead research and start-ups is a stated strategic goal across the EIC for 2021 to 2027. The EIC deploys a mix of targeted open calls, prizes, coaching and networking services to reduce barriers for women founders and researchers. Those activities are framed as part of the EIC Business Acceleration Services portfolio which is intended to move awardees from project funding toward commercialisation and scaling.
| Metric | Number reported by EIC BAS | Notes and caveats |
| One-on-one meetings brokered since 2021 | 20,000+ | Includes meetings between awardees and corporates, procurers and investors |
| Deals reported | 595 | Aggregated across several programmes and years |
| Funds raised through investor outreach | EUR 350 million | Reported by EIC outreach initiatives |
| Funds raised by EIC Scaling Club members since joining | EUR 1.2 billion | Scaling Club is an exclusive cohort of high-growth deep-tech companies |
| Turnover generated from trade fairs since 2024 | EUR 42 million | Sales figures tied to trade fair participation |
| Raised through innovation procurement support since March 2024 | EUR 7.7 million | Part of a larger EUR 28.4 million of submitted tenders |
| Pilots supported following buyer-innovator matches | 22 ongoing, 16 completed | Supported with EUR 1.93 million |
A measured read: benefits and limits of podcasts as policy tools
Podcasts are an effective way to surface role models and share practical advice at scale. For listeners who cannot join cohort programmes, audio content lowers access barriers. However a podcast alone is not a substitute for funding, structured mentoring or local capacity building. The EIC’s broader claims about closing gender gaps rely on a combination of measures and on how success is measured over time.
Bottom line
SheEIC episode 2 adds useful, practice-oriented material to the EIC Women Leadership Programme’s suite of capacity-building offerings. It is a pragmatic step to amplify successful women innovators and communicate actionable techniques on pitching and public speaking. Policymakers and programme managers should treat the podcast as one tool among many and ensure the initiative is paired with measurable, accessible opportunities for women across the EU to benefit from mentoring, coaching and market access.
For more details and updates, listen on the EIC Community YouTube channel, subscribe to the EIC BAS newsletter, or consult the EIC Community Platform for information on the Women Leadership Programme, Women TechEU and the European Prize for Women Innovators.