Pioneering women set the stage for Slush at the INNOVEIT Conference in Helsinki

22 October 2024. Budapest, Hungary – As a prelude to the global Slush event, which gathers leading tech innovators in Helsinki, the INNOVEIT Conference on 19 November will highlight the pivotal role of women entrepreneurs in driving Europe’s innovation and investment landscape. This event stands out among the various activities leading up to Slush for its exclusive focus on the impact of women innovators and investors.

Organised and hosted by the EIT Community as part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, the conference will provide a unique platform to showcase visionary women leaders in the European startup ecosystem. With keynote speeches, panel discussions and pitch sessions, the event will offer valuable insights into the contributions of women innovators while setting the stage for discussions on innovation and investment throughout the week.

INNOVEIT: Empowering women entrepreneurs

Themed Pioneering women: driving innovation and investment in Europe, the EIT’s flagship event offers a unique opportunity to explore the stories, strategies and successes of women entrepreneurs, just one day before Slush opens its doors. By empowering these pioneering women to lead the conversation, INNOVEIT will highlight their ground-breaking solutions and contributions to Europe’s innovation ecosystem, making it a must-attend event for anyone interested in the future of tech and investment.

• Keynotes and panels featuring industry leaders and scaleups

Renowned experts from across Europe’s innovation and investment landscape, including, Inga Grieger (Business Development Manager, BMW i Ventures), Katarzyna Piasecki (Managing Director, European Women in VC), Bertrand van Leersum (Partner, Borski Fund) and Laura Wirsztel (Partner, BNP Paribas Solar Impulse Venture Fund) will share insights into the intersection of innovation, investment and women entrepreneurship. Avencia Sánchez-Mejía (Integra Therapeutics), Olivia Nestius (Graphmatech) and others will share inspiring success stories of women entrepreneurs who have navigated the unique challenges and opportunities of building a startup.

• Startup pitch session - a showcase of visionary ventures

With a spotlight on women-led ventures, eight pioneering startups will pitch their solutions to an audience of investors, industry experts and media. These visionary companies (Coat-It, DigiClean Solutions, Joii Care, Mimark, NOOVI, SpaceCrop, Walk 15) are not only pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in tech, but also opening doors for future generations of women in innovation.

• Exclusive research findings

Attendees will be the first to hear the latest data on women’s impact on deep tech sectors as the much-anticipated EIT Supernovas study “Women founders in European deep tech startups” is unveiled. This data-driven session will debunk common myths, highlight women’s contributions and explore ways to foster female leadership in tech.

• Launch of the EIT Supernovas Data Room

The EIT Supernovas Data Room is a cutting-edge platform that boosts visibility for women-led startups by providing investors with access to high-quality deal flow.

Registration for the INNOVEIT Conference on 19 November 2024: Pioneering women: driving innovation and investment in Europe. 

Join, connect and grow with the EIT Community at Slush

During Slush (20-21 November), visitors can learn more about the EIT Community and its initiatives while engaging with representatives from programmes and initiatives such as the EIT AI Community and EIT Supernovas. A key highlight is the Grow your community networking lunch break at the booth (6C5) on 20 November, from 11:30 to 13:30, open to all Slush attendees. This networking event offers an opportunity to connect with startups, investors and further partners from the EIT ecosystem including representatives from corporates and research institutes.

At the EIT Community booth attendees will also have the chance to meet the three winning startups of this year’s EIT AI Challenge and connect with partners from various EIT initiatives and Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), including:

• EIT Alumni
• EIT Artificial Intelligence Community
• Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA)
• EIT Girls Go Circular
• EIT Red Kalyna
• Strada (Empowering Women in Manufacturing)
• EIT Supernovas
• WomenTechEU

More information about the EIT Community and Slush. 

About the EIT Community

The EIT Community is a collaborative network comprising the European Institute of Innovation and Technology's (EIT) long-term partnerships, known as Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). These KICs are dedicated to driving systemic change in Europe and beyond, focusing on key areas such as climate change, energy, health, food, manufacturing, raw materials, digitalisation, urban mobility, culture and creativity. By harnessing the collective expertise of the KICs, the EIT Community initiatives power innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity.

About the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT)

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, among leading companies, research labs and universities. Together with their leading partners, the EIT Community offers a wide range of innovation and entrepreneurship activities across Europe: entrepreneurial education courses, business creation and acceleration services and innovation driven research projects.

The EIT bridges gender gaps in the European innovation and entrepreneurship, through gender mainstreaming, and tailored women entrepreneurship & leadership programmes. The EIT is acknowledged by the European Commission for bringing down barriers to women’s participation in Europe’s innovation. In 2023 the EIT won the European Union Agency Network (EUAN) Diversity & Inclusion Award. In the EIT Community women make 40% decision makers and 45% graduates from the EIT labelled education programmes. Join us to make gender-smart innovation happen!