Supernovas WIN (Women Investment Network) is gearing up for its second investment forum, focusing exclusively on female-led startups in the manufacturing sector. This groundbreaking event offers investors a unique opportunity to access curated investment prospects, handpicked by EIT Manufacturing, the largest manufacturing-focused Knowledge and Innovation Community within the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.
Madrid, September 20, 2023 – In Europe, female representation in venture investment remains low, both in venture capital funds and as business angels (IDC European women in Venture Capital, 2023). This gender disparity results in female-led or mixed-gender teams receiving less funding compared to all-male teams. To address this issue, the Women Investment Network (WIN) initiative is born, an activity dedicated to increasing the presence of women among entrepreneurs and investors, reinforcing their roles in the ecosystem. WIN operates under the umbrella of Supernovas, a program focused on increasing women-led entrepreneurship created by EIT, Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem. Supernovas is coordinated by EIT Manufacturing, EIT Food, and EIT Urban Mobility, three of the nine EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities.
Supernovas WIN comprises three activities: training for women in venture capital, training for female business angels and investment forums. The latter, Supernovas WIN Investment Forums, consists of meetings where startups founded and/or led by women in a certain sector present their projects to specialised investors.
The second of such forums, led by EIT Manufacturing, focuses on innovation and technology for the manufacturing sector, in particular flexible production systems; sustainability, resource optimization and circular economy in manufacturing; digital and collaborative solutions and automation and robotics. The event will take place online on October 18th. The call for female-founded and/or led startups in Manufacturing is open until October 1st on Supernovas selection platform. The event is open to investors active in the Manufacturing field, either venture capital funds, corporate funds, business angels or other type of investors, and registration is open on the WIN Manufacturing forum page.
Furthermore, Supernovas WIN offers customized training for female investors based on their type (venture capital and business angels) and experience level (beginners and experienced). Detailed information on dates, deadlines, and the registration process can be found on the Supernovas WIN website.
About EIT
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) is Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem bringing together close to 3,400 partners from top business, research and education organisations across Europe in over 200 innovation hubs. The EIT strengthens Europe’s ability to innovate by powering solutions to pressing global challenges and by nurturing entrepreneurial talent to create sustainable growth and skilled jobs in Europe. The EIT is an EU body and an integral part of Horizon Europe, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. The Institute supports dynamic pan-European partnerships, EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities, composed of leading companies, research labs and universities each dedicated to solving a pressing global challenge, from climate change to health, to renewable energy.
About EIT Manufacturing
EIT Manufacturing is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, and it is one of nine innovation communities within EIT. EIT Manufacturing’s main goal is to bring European stakeholders focused on manufacturing together in innovation ecosystems that add unique value to European products, processes and services and inspire the creation of globally competitive and sustainable manufacturing. EIT Manufacturing brings together more than 80 members (universities, research institutes and business).
About EIT Food
EIT Food is Europe’s leading food innovation initiative. It works to make the food system more sustainable, healthy and trusted. The consortium comprises more than 100 entities, including key industries, leading companies, startups, research centres and universities from across Europe. It is one of nine innovation communities established by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union set up in 2008 to boost innovation and entrepreneurship.
About EIT Urban Mobility
EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, aims to deliver innovative solutions and accelerate the transition towards a truly multimodal, integrated and user-centred transport system. As Europe’s leading urban mobility innovation community, EIT Urban Mobility will work to avoid fragmentation by facilitating collaboration between cities, business, education, research and innovation to solve cities’ most pressing challenges. Cities will become „living laboratories” where companies and community research and education centres will demonstrate how new technologies can work to solve real problems in real cities by transporting people, goods and waste in a smart way.
