Less than a tenth of deeptechs are founded by all-women teams – this EU body wants to change that
Deeptech startups in Europe still have a major gender gap—only 15% are founded or co-founded by women, and a mere 7% are led by all-women teams. The issue runs deep, from limited access to entrepreneurship education for girls to a venture capital system that overwhelmingly favors confident, male founders. Female entrepreneurs often face skepticism and different treatment, especially during fundraising, where traits like humility can be misread as weakness instead of authenticity and competence.
Women in the deeptech space also struggle with a lack of representation in decision-making roles. Only 13% of VC partners are women, and many investors are more comfortable backing people who remind them of themselves—typically young, confident men. Programs like EIT’s Supernovas aim to change that by supporting women at all stages, from encouraging STEM graduates to enter VC, to backing female-led startups with mentorship, networking, and training opportunities.
The path forward includes early education, better media representation, and building stronger communities among female founders. Creating a support network and lifting each other up is already making a difference, according to founders in the space. But long-term progress depends on placing more women in leadership and investor roles, where they can shape the future of innovation and help break down barriers for the next generation.
