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New Research Proves: EU Public Funding is a Critical Catalyst for Women-Led Deep-Tech Growth
We are proud to announce the release of our new whitepaper, “Analysis of the role and impact of EU public funding programmes in fostering women-led entrepreneurship in deep-tech,” developed by our consortium partner Sploro as part of the EmpoWomen project.
This comprehensive, evidence-based study addresses one of Europe’s most persistent innovation challenges: the severe underrepresentation of women in deep-tech entrepreneurship, where only 14% of startup founders are women and women-led ventures receive less than 2% of total venture capital. The research provides a critical analysis of current structural barriers and demonstrates the essential, transformative role of EU support.
The Power of Public Support: Dramatic Growth Results
The whitepaper’s core empirical study directly compares women-led startups that received EU public funding (Cohort A) against high-potential peers that did not (Cohort B). The results are a clear validation of the “additionality” of EU support, showing that funded startups were uniquely able to translate technical progress into business value.
In the year following programme participation, Cohort A experienced remarkable growth, while Cohort B saw significant declines.
Crucially, the study also found that public support reduced the need for equity dilution for Cohort A (+29% vs. +62% in Cohort B), confirming that grants enable growth while preserving founder ownership.
Public Funding: The Only Accessible Bridge to Scale
The research highlights a fundamental structural issue: for many women-led deep-tech startups, EU public funding is often not just the first, but the only accessible source of external capital. This reliance is driven by persistent, informal gatekeeping and bias in predominantly male private investment networks. Public programmes, therefore, act as a vital validation tool and a necessary bridge to market entry.
To ensure future impact is systematically tracked and maximized, the whitepaper introduces Sploro’s proprietary impact measurement methodology. This framework collects structured, consistent data across seven key performance indicators, moving beyond anecdotal success stories to provide robust, comparable evidence of programme additionality.
A Call for Systemic Change
To conclude, the whitepaper offers twelve strategic policy recommendations aimed at embedding gender equity across the EU’s innovation funding landscape. These include integrating gender criteria into all stages of funding, improving coordination across programmes, and fostering inclusive investor networks to achieve long-term structural reforms.
Gender equity is not a social add-on—it is a precondition for excellence, resilience, and competitiveness in Europe’s deep-tech future.
