SheEIC podcast launches to amplify women leaders in deep tech

In the run-up to International Women’s Day the European Innovation Council Women Leadership Programme released SheEIC, a new podcast series aimed at showcasing women leaders and practical leadership lessons for the deep tech and innovation community. The first episode went live on 7 March 2025 on the EIC Community YouTube channel. EIC says the show will expand to Spotify and the European Commission Audiovisual Service in the following week.

What SheEIC aims to do

SheEIC is presented as a channel to highlight lived experience and practical tactics from entrepreneurs, trainers and alumni of the EIC Women Leadership Programme. Episodes promise content on topics such as leadership, negotiation, pitching, public speaking, and how to build networks and access support. The EIC frames the series as part of its broader effort to encourage more women to take leadership roles in deep tech and entrepreneurship.

Episode one highlights

The inaugural episode is titled It takes a village and centres on the role of support networks for women in innovation. Host Sara Jud from the EIC interviews Siva Konstance Snarby, co-founder and CEO of Connect the Dots and an alumna of the EIC Women Leadership Programme, and Luisa Baltazar, founder and CEO of HER Venture HUB and a trainer on the programme. The conversation explores building networks of mentors, peers and allies to help women navigate career and organisational challenges.

How SheEIC fits into EIC programmes

SheEIC is positioned as a public-facing output of the EIC Women Leadership Programme, itself an element of the EIC Business Acceleration Services. That programme combines training sessions, personal mentoring and business coaching targeted at women founders and researchers who are part of the EIC or EIT communities. The podcast adds an accessible format for sharing advice and profiles, and it is tied to EIC efforts such as Women TechEU and the European Prize for Women Innovators.

Programme details and recent timeline

The EIC has run recurring cohorts. For instance the 9th cohort timetable published in EIC FAQs outlined application and delivery milestones for 2025 including an intro workshop and an in-person kick-off in Brussels to coincide with the EU R&I Days. The programme offers participants three days of business coaching, biweekly mentoring over six months, weekly two hour training sessions over a multiweek window and networking events. The EIC does not provide direct financial support to participants through the Women Leadership Programme and travel costs for in-person events are to be borne by participants.

Who can apply and what they get

Eligibility is limited to women who are founders, CEOs or senior leaders in organisations supported by EIC or EIT instruments. Eligible instruments include the EIC Accelerator, EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition, Women TechEU, EIT programmes and other named schemes. Selected participants receive tailored training, mentorship from senior practitioners and business coaching. The programme emphasises networking and visibility within the EIC community. There is no direct grant or stipend attached to participation in the Women Leadership Programme.

EIC claims and available impact data

The EIC publishes a range of performance figures for its Business Acceleration Services and related initiatives. Since 2021 the EIC reports over 20,000 one on one meetings between awardees and corporates, 595 deals, and €350 million raised through investor outreach. It also highlights €1.2 billion raised by EIC Scaling Club members since joining and other procurement and trade fair related figures. For women specific metrics the EIC states that 30 percent of companies supported by the EIC Accelerator in 2024 were women led and that the overall EIC portfolio includes 134 women led companies, about 19 percent. The EIC also reports shares of women coordinators in Pathfinder and Transition projects in the mid twenties percent range.

These numbers are useful for tracking activity but they do not prove causation for outcomes such as fundraising or commercial success. Attribution in innovation ecosystems is complex. Activities such as mentoring, coaching and networking can help but results depend on many variables including market timing, investor environment and company execution. The EIC reports positive self assessed outcomes for programme participants such as improvements in entrepreneurial skills but external independent evaluation is limited in public materials.

Where to listen and how to follow up

Episode one is available now on the EIC Community YouTube channel. The EIC says SheEIC will be added to Spotify and to the European Commission Audiovisual Service shortly. The EIC encourages listeners to subscribe to the EIC Business Acceleration Services newsletter for notifications on open calls, events and related programme activity. For questions about the Women Leadership Programme the EIC asks stakeholders to use the EIC Community contact page and to select the EIC Women Leadership Programme category to facilitate responses.

A pragmatic note

The SheEIC podcast is a low friction way to surface role models and practical tips. That makes it a sensible addition to training and mentoring offerings. Listeners and prospective applicants should value the stories and tactics shared while remaining aware that podcasts and promotional communications are only one piece in a broader support ecosystem. For founders seeking concrete help, participation in structured coaching, mentoring and funded programmes will typically offer deeper and measurable support than an interview series alone.