As we approach International Women's Day on March 8, a report by Gendex has revealed what is described as a costly gender gap in EU deep tech.

International Women’s Day (IWD), celebrated annually on March 8, honors the achievements of women across all aspects of life - social, economic, cultural, and political - while also advocating for gender equality. This year's campaign theme is 'Accelerate Action' for gender equality. The organizers say that at the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158, which is roughly five generations from now, to reach full gender parity, according to data from the World Economic Forum.

The Gendex report, which is funded by the European Innovation Council, has been compiled as a first step towards establishing a tool for investors based on standardized benchmarks.

The index details disparities between men and women-led European deep tech companies regarding representation, valuation and access to capital and intellectual property (IP) ownership.

Women-led companies account for over 11% of the value raised at non-IPO exits in the past decade, despite accounting for only 0.6% of total non-IPO exits completed in that time. The authors of the report extrapolate that if there was a more even representation of women-led companies at the exit stage, it would have unlocked a potential €198.8 billion of value.

Companies led by men secured 1.8X the funding women-led companies did between 2014-2024, and even when funding is secured, the index showed that women-led companies often receive less favorable terms than teams led only by men.

42% of STEM graduates in Europe are women, but once beyond the educational stage, the figures are less favorable to women. The GENDEX research shows that only 24% of patent applications in Europe included women as inventors, and only 31% of the total researchers and scientists employed are women. The report authors say this research is evidence of a narrowing funnel, where women talent is lost along the way, to the detriment of the tech industry as a whole. 

The conclusion of the report suggested four actionable recommendations:

1. Close the Data Gap – Investors should require gender diversity reporting before deploying capital.
2. Follow the Returns – Women-led teams deliver stronger outcomes. Allocate more funding accordingly.
3. Secure IP Rights – Women need better legal & funding support for patenting their innovations.
4. Public Funding with Accountability – Government co-investment should mandate gender-balanced portfolios.

Happy International Women's Day. 

More Information

International Women's Day Website

GENDEX Website

GENDEX Report Data

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