Women´s Event

Just like a diverse and balanced diet is key for a healthy life, diversity and gender balance have also a positive impact when it comes to creating healthy and strong companies and industries that can overcome present and future challenges regarding innovation. At EIT Food we believe that women play a fundamental role in the transformation of the agrifood sector. Women bring diversity to teams, a wider perspective of society, innovation impact and unbiased view on startups from underrepresented communities.

However, although there has been a significant evolution in our society on achieving gender equality among all aspects of life, there’s still room for improvement. Across Europe, only 2% of venture capital goes to all-female teams and around 5% to mixed teams. While Europe is making steady progress towards changing this figures, women still remain underrepresented and underfunded, even as an increasing number of European citizens express the desire to launch their own businesses. In Europe, only around 30% of women account top positions in agricultural and livestock farms in the European Union, with a remarkable low rate amongst women from RIS regions.

On the International Women’s Day, at EIT Food we want to bring special attention to the work we have done since our foundation to empower woman-led startups and empower new role models across the sector that inspire future generations. Join us at the 'Women Breaking Barriers For Innovation' event, the meeting point of female entrepreneurs, leaders and institutions to discuss and understand the work path that EIT Food has established towards achieving the 2020-2025 Gender Strategy promoted by the European Commission.

What are the key elements towards achieving a diverse and inclusive industry? Which steps should we take as a society to elevate women leaders in entrepreneurship and tech innovation? Join us and be part of the change!

AGENDA

• 10.00 - 10.10 | Opening - Diversity is essential to innovation: Why the Agrifood Sector needs Women Entrepreneurs

• 10.10 - 10.20 | Discover - Empowering Women In Agrifood: What Is Comming in 2023?

• 10.20 - 10.30 | Light on - My Path from EWA

• 10.35 - 10.50 | EIC Women Leadership Programme - Elevating Female Leadership in Entrepreneurship

• 10.50 - 10.05 | Venture Capital: Female Presence for Better Investment Decisions

• 11.05 - 11.20 | Study - The Landscape of Female-funded scaleups in the EU

• 11.20 - 11.30 | Wrap-up & Closure