European Commission Names 3 Winners for 12th Women Innovators Prize at Brussels Summit
Updated
Updated · eic.ec.europa.eu · Jun 4
European Commission Names 3 Winners for 12th Women Innovators Prize at Brussels Summit
3 articles · Updated · eic.ec.europa.eu · Jun 4
Summary
Three women entrepreneurs won the European Commission’s 12th European Prize for Women Innovators, announced at the EIC Summit in Brussels across the Women Innovators, Rising Innovators and EIT Women Leadership categories.
Katerina Spranger took the top Women Innovators award for AI-guided brain aneurysm treatment, while Marta Oliveira won Rising Innovators for reusable space capsules and Ella Frances Cullen won EIT Women Leadership for supply-chain traceability technology.
€100,000 goes to the main Women Innovators winner, while the other two category winners receive €50,000 each; runners-up in all three categories also receive cash awards.
The prize, jointly run by the EIC and EIT, is designed to spotlight women founders and leaders whose technologies advance healthcare, space research, sustainability and Europe’s broader innovation competitiveness.
Beyond the prize money, what is the EU's strategy to scale these winning innovations into global market leaders?
As AI reshapes online search, how can Europe's top innovators ensure their breakthroughs are discovered by the world?
Does Europe's AI Act give innovators a competitive edge or stifle their ability to compete on a global scale?
2026 European Prize for Women Innovators: Celebrating Breakthroughs and Advancing Gender Equality in Deep Tech
Overview
On June 4, 2026, the 12th European Prize for Women Innovators was announced, marking a major milestone in Europe's innovation landscape. Jointly managed by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), this prize celebrates and acknowledges remarkable women leading innovation and entrepreneurship across Europe. It highlights the indispensable contributions of women entrepreneurs to Europe's long-term competitive edge and actively addresses systemic barriers that impede women's progress in technology and business. The EIT and EIC are committed to dismantling these obstacles and championing women's empowerment.