EU Prize for Women Innovators 2016
Europe urgently needs more innovators to stay competitive in the coming decadesand to spur economic growth. The large number of well-educated women
researchers who, for various reasons, including lack of awareness, do not considerentrepreneurship as an option, represents a tremendous untapped pool ofinnovation.
Awards have a strong potential to drive innovation through the recognition of
achievements and the promotion of role models. Therefore, the European
Commission created in 2011 a Prize for Women Innovators to increase public
awareness of this issue and to encourage women to exploit the commercial and
business opportunities offered by their research projects and become
entrepreneurs.
After the success of the forerunners of the competition in 2011 and2014, the Commission intends to continue its drive to spotlight women researcherswho have brought outstanding innovations to the market. The Commission plans toaward up to three “EU Prize for Women Innovators 2016” following a Europeanwidecontest. The prizes are addressed to women who have founded or co-foundeda company and who themselves or their company have benefitted from EU fundingrelated to Research and Innovation. The prizes will not reward research orinnovation proposed for the future, but only achievements that have been alreadyobtained by the candidate.