Who is in the running for the 2026 European Prize for Women Innovators

Brussels, March 10th 2026

Summary

›EIC and EIT named nine finalists across three prize categories with winners due at the EIC Summit in June 2026.
›Shortlisted innovations span clinical decision support for brain surgery, urine based breast cancer screening, graphene biosensors and space reentry capsules.
›Prizes range from €20,000 to €100,000 which brings visibility but not scale up capital.
›Selection focuses on breakthrough innovation, impact and inspiration with an independent jury.
›Several finalists operate in regulated markets that require robust clinical validation and approvals before wide deployment.
›Traceability and digital product passports feature strongly as EU regulation tightens on batteries and circularity.
›EIT and EIC coordination reflects a push to link recognition with Europe’s deep tech ecosystem and policy priorities.

Finalists for the 2026 European Prize for Women Innovators

The European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency together with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology have named nine finalists for the 2026 European Prize for Women Innovators. The prize highlights women founders and leaders whose work aligns with EU priorities in deep tech, health, climate, digitalisation and industrial resilience. Winners will be announced at the EIC Summit in June 2026. The recognition matters for visibility and networks. The prize money is modest by scale up standards and most of the projects will still face the familiar hurdles of regulatory clearance, product market fit and procurement cycles in Europe.

What the prize covers and how it is judged

Category	Eligibility	Prize amounts
EIC Rising Innovators	Women under 35	€50,000 winner. €30,000 and €20,000 runners up
EIC Women Innovators	Women founders in EU or Horizon Europe associated countries	€100,000 winner. €70,000 and €50,000 runners up
EIT Women Leadership	Members of the EIT Community	€50,000 winner. €30,000 and €20,000 runners up

Entries are evaluated on three criteria. Breakthrough innovation where the company is pioneering disruptive advances with a focus on deep tech and STEM. Impact where the innovation addresses a real need with benefits for people and the planet. Inspiration where the founder demonstrates leadership and serves as a role model. An independent expert jury selects the winners.

Timeline and process

Milestone	Date or period	Notes
Call launch	17 June 2025	2026 edition announced by the Commission
Application deadline	25 September 2025 at 17:00 CEST	Submissions via the Funding and Tenders Portal
Evaluation	September 2025 to January 2026	Eligibility and criteria based review
Information on results	January to March 2026	Finalists communication
Winners announced	June 2026	At the EIC Summit

Meet the finalists

Category	Finalist	Country	Company	Focus
EIC Rising Innovators	Judit Giró Benet	Spain	The Blue Box	Urine based breast cancer screening
EIC Rising Innovators	Carin Lightner	Switzerland	Enantios	Chiral analysis for complex molecules and biologics
EIC Rising Innovators	Marta Oliveira	Belgium	ATMOS Space Cargo	Reusable capsules to return materials from orbit
EIC Women Innovators	Judit Camargo Sanromà	Spain	Roka Furadada	Photo adaptive and eco minded UV protection ingredients
EIC Women Innovators	Elena Heber	Germany	HelloBetter	Digital therapies for mental health and AI supported tools
EIC Women Innovators	Katerina Spranger	Ukraine/UK	Oxford Heartbeat	AI assisted planning for brain aneurysm procedures
EIT Women Leadership	Ella Frances Cullen	Portugal	Minespider	Digital product and battery passports for supply chain traceability
EIT Women Leadership	Neide Vieira	Portugal	IPLEXMED	Graphene biosensor platform for rapid infectious disease diagnostics
EIT Women Leadership	Stefania Raimondo	Italy	Navhetec	Plant based nanostructures for biomedical and wellness products

The shortlist reflects a familiar EU mix. Health tech that must navigate MDR and IVDR requirements. Digital tools positioned for national reimbursement pathways. Advanced materials with sustainability claims that will need lifecycle evidence. Dual use space hardware and data infrastructure that test the practicality of new European industrial supply chains.

Technical angles behind the ventures

Urine based cancer screening and volatile biomarkers:The Blue Box targets breast cancer detection via a non invasive urine test. Urinary samples can contain volatile organic compounds that change with disease. Sensor arrays coupled with machine learning can classify patterns. This approach is attractive for underserved populations where mammography access or sensitivity is limited in younger women. It requires large scale prospective validation to prove sensitivity and specificity across diverse cohorts and to address the risk of false positives and negatives. Integration into screening programs will hinge on health economic evidence and alignment with national guidelines.

Raman optical activity for chiral analysis:Enantios builds instruments based on Raman optical activity. ROA measures differences in Raman scattering of circularly polarised light by chiral molecules, providing stereochemical information in solution. Compared with chiral HPLC or X ray crystallography, ROA promises less sample preparation, no crystallisation and fewer reference standards. Adoption in pharma will depend on method validation under ICH Q2, instrument robustness in GMP environments, throughput, and regulatory acceptance for release testing. Early use cases include absolute configuration assignment and enantiomeric excess in small molecules and characterisation of biologics and antibody drug conjugates.

Microgravity manufacturing and reentry capsules:ATMOS Space Cargo proposes reusable capsules for safe return of materials from low Earth orbit. In orbit manufacturing of crystals, fibre optics or bioproducts needs frequent, controlled downmass to demonstrate consistent quality and economics. Capsules must meet reentry safety and licensing conditions, secure insurance and ground logistics, and synchronise with launch providers. The business case is sensitive to launch cadence, reentry corridor access in Europe, and demand from research and commercial customers beyond demonstrations.

Photo adaptive UV filters in cosmetics:Roka Furadada develops molecules that absorb UVB then undergo photoactivation to shift absorption to UVA, aiming for dose dependent and durable protection. Claims include non degradation under sunlight and enhanced UVA protection factors. Any new UV filter in Europe must comply with Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 and pass safety and efficacy assessments. Environmental claims on marine safety and biodegradability require ecotoxicity data. Partnerships with formulators and distributors are key given the long qualification cycles in personal care.

Digital therapeutics and reimbursement pathways:HelloBetter delivers clinically validated online interventions for mental health and is developing AI assisted tools. In Europe, reimbursement varies by country. Germany’s DiGA framework allows prescription digital health apps after BfArM listing and evidence of positive healthcare effects. Broader EU adoption remains patchy. AI features trigger additional scrutiny on transparency, clinical performance, data protection and cybersecurity. Long term engagement and outcomes retention are persistent challenges.

Clinical decision support for aneurysm treatment:Oxford Heartbeat’s PreSize Neurovascular supports device sizing and planning in endovascular treatment of brain aneurysms. The company is running a first of its kind clinical trial in the field registered as ISRCTN17947655 within several NHS trusts to build gold standard evidence for software as a medical device. Integration into workflows, CE marking under MDR and payor acceptance will determine scaling. Clinical decision support tools must show that they change decisions and improve outcomes without adding unacceptable delays.

Digital product passports and battery passports:Minespider offers blockchain and AI enabled product passports that store lifecycle and compliance data. The EU Battery Regulation mandates a battery passport for certain categories with phased timelines. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation introduces digital product passports more broadly. Interoperability, data governance, and verification remain unsettled, and suppliers often resist sharing sensitive data. Minespider holds ISO certifications and has worked with partners in mining and automotive. The commercial test will be integration with legacy ERPs and supplier onboarding across tiers.

Graphene biosensors for rapid diagnostics:IPLEXMED’s NexaGuard platform combines nucleic acid capture with graphene based sensors to detect pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in about 20 minutes from sputum. Graphene field effect transistors can deliver high sensitivity. Performance in real world settings depends on sample prep, matrix effects, cross reactivity and stability. EU IVDR requires analytical and clinical performance studies, post market surveillance and cybersecurity for connected at home diagnostics. Cloud connectivity adds value but also compliance obligations under GDPR and medical device cybersecurity guidance.

Plant derived nanostructures for health applications:Navhetec extracts highly concentrated nanostructures from citrus juice with claimed anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This resembles the emerging field of plant extracellular vesicle like particles as delivery vehicles. Classification matters. As a nutraceutical the bar is lower but claims are limited. As a medicinal product stricter evidence and manufacturing controls under GMP apply. Patents help positioning but clinical evidence will be decisive for efficacy claims.

How the finalists align with EU innovation policy

This cohort tracks several EU policy arcs. Health sovereignty with EU MDR and IVDR strictures that push for high quality evidence. Industrial resilience with traceability and digital product passports embedded in the Battery Regulation and the broader circular economy framework. Deep tech instruments like ROA that may reduce dependence on legacy imported instruments. Space as a strategic sector, where downmass and in orbit services are underdeveloped in Europe. EIT reports €9.5 billion investment raised by ventures in its communities and the EIC positions itself as a major deep tech investor, but the bottlenecks for scaling include fragmented procurement, uneven reimbursement and slow standards setting. A prize helps with visibility and mentorship. It does not replace patient capital or regulatory clarity.

Implications and what to watch next

By June the jury will pick winners, but the real milestones will be outside the awards. For medical and diagnostic tools that means CE marking under MDR or IVDR and publication of peer reviewed studies. For digital therapies that means reimbursement listings and longitudinal outcomes. For traceability that means live deployments that survive supplier turnover and audits. For space logistics that means recurring flights and paying customers beyond pilots. For cosmetic ingredients that means safety dossiers, supply chain validation and ecotoxicology transparency. Claims about reduced environmental impact and affordability should be read alongside independent testing and standards compliance.

Risks and constraints

Several finalists market into regulated domains with evolving rules. Projects that rely on AI must document performance and explainability. Diagnostics face the reality of IVDR notified body capacity. Digital traceability tools will need to cope with a moving target as data schemas and enforcement mature. Consumer products will face scrutiny on green claims. These are not reasons to discount the ventures. They are reminders that success in Europe is as much about regulatory execution and go to market discipline as it is about technical novelty.

Background on the organisers

Since 2023 the prize has been jointly managed by EISMEA and the EIT. EISMEA implements the European Innovation Council and other SME and single market programmes. The EIT coordinates thematic innovation communities that bring together companies, research and education partners. The joint prize framework is part of a broader attempt to reduce fragmentation in Europe’s innovation landscape and to elevate role models. This year marks twelve years of recognising women leaders in innovation across Europe.

Independent report flags persistent equity gaps in EU finance landscape and urges simpler, risk-tolerant European funding

2021-02-05Read Now