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Impact

idea + capital + scale

Funding at scale is what transforms promising ideas into global game-changers.

When investment reaches a critical mass, it drives widespread adoption, fuels rapid expansion, and enables startups to create lasting economic and social impact.

Scaled funding empowers companies to hire and develop top talent, enter new markets, and build infrastructure that sustains long-term growth.

This ripple effect doesn’t just benefit individual businesses—it accelerates technological progress, ultimately shaping the future at a much larger scale.

The Fifty Innovators List 2026

Median size of the funding rounds of the female-founded companies in the Fifty Innovators List

Female Innovation Index 2026

€52M

40% increase in the number of European female-founded companies nearing unicorn status

Female-founded companies in Europe nearing a $1B valuation

Female Innovation Index 2026
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female-founded near-unicorns  in 2024

14

female-founded near-unicorns  in 2025

21

Data source: Dealroom

Three new female-founded companies achieve unicorn status, a 200% increase from last year

Female-founded companies with unicorn status, €1B+ valuation 

Europe

Female Innovation Index 2026
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14

20

21

24

27

2021
 

2022
 

2023
 

2024
 

2025
 

Data source: Dealroom

M&A exits are on the rise, with an 11% increase in exits for female-founded companies

Number of M&A transactions involving female-founded companies

Europe

Female Innovation Index 2026
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72

102

100

111

111

2021
 

2022
 

2023
 

2024
 

2025
 

Data source: Dealroom

Female-led IPOs are picking up pace, with three IPOs added this year

Number of female-founded companies that exited through an IPO

Europe

Female Innovation Index 2026
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12

2

1

3

2

2021
 

2022
 

2023
 

2024
 

2025
 

Data source: Dealroom

'Our belief system is rooted in ecosystem thinking. Those who will thrive in the next decade are the ones who embrace their role in the ecosystem and actively collaborate to advance it.'

Ariane Cruz Gomes
Baseimmune, United Kingdom
​£9M in February
founder

The vast majority of ecosystem players believe that access to funding is essential for driving innovation

Compared to 12 months ago, is it easier or harder to raise external capital in Europe?

Significantly easier

Easier

No change

Harder

Significantly harder

Add a Title

91%

Add a Title

3%

Add a Title

6%

Add a Title

6%

Add a Title

6%

Source: Female Innovation Index Survey 2026

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Female Innovation Index 2026

'We are no longer only a robotics company. We’re now measured against leading AI and full-stack companies that are worth billions—like SpaceX or Apple—which mean an even higher level of expectation and ambition.'

Oana Jinga, DEXORY
United Kingdom
€143M  in October
founder

The Fifty
Innovators List

Funding at scale is what transforms promising ideas into global game-changers.

When investment reaches a critical mass, it drives widespread adoption, fuels rapid expansion, and enables startups to create lasting economic and social impact.

Scaled funding empowers companies to hire and develop top talent, enter new markets, and build infrastructure that sustains long-term growth.

This ripple effect doesn’t just benefit individual businesses—it accelerates technological progress, ultimately shaping the future at a much larger scale.

50 female-founded companies in Europe that raised the biggest funding rounds in 2025
 

Female Innovation Index 2026
Company
Round size (€M)
Round
Sector
Country
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Data source: Dealroom

Company profiles

145M

The biggest round (€) raised in 2025

Top sectors

8%

Energy

40%

Health

12%

Food

4%

Transport

14%

Fintech

7.62Y

Average company age

Top HQ locations

26%

United Kingdom

16%

France

10%

Sweden

10%

Germany

8%

Spain

Female Innovation Index 2026.png

Founder profiles

81%

founders on the Fifty Innovators List have
a scientific background

Female-only vs gender-mixed teams

female-only

Add a Title

9%

gender-mixed

Add a Title

91%

Solo founder vs founding team

solo

Add a Title

2%

team

Add a Title

98%

Founder age group

Founder education

20-30 years old 

30-40 years old 

40-50 years old 

50-60 years old 

60 -70 years old 

Add a Title

0%

Add a Title

31%

Add a Title

41%

Add a Title

22%

Add a Title

2%

Masters degree

PhD

Bachelors degree

MBA

Lower than Bachelors

Add a Title

38%

Add a Title

32%

Add a Title

22%

Add a Title

5%

Add a Title

0%

Data source: Dealroom

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'Our belief system is rooted in ecosystem thinking. Those who will thrive in the next decade are the ones who embrace their role in the ecosystem and actively collaborate to advance it.'

Laura Hutton, Quantexa
United Kingdom
​€159M in March
founder

The vast majority of ecosystem players believe that access to funding is essential for driving innovation

Compared to 12 months ago, is it easier or harder to attract technical talent in Europe?

Significantly easier

Easier

No change

Harder

Significantly harder

Add a Title

91%

Add a Title

3%

Add a Title

6%

Add a Title

6%

Add a Title

6%

Source: Female Innovation Index Survey 2026

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Female Innovation Index 2026.png

'Our innovations aim to solve previously unsolvable problems and enhance existing vaccines to make them more effective and easier to deploy—these two goals are central to our mission. We are proud to contribute to these advancements in public health.'

Ariane Cruz Gomes
Baseimmune, United Kingdom
Raised ​£9m in February
Base Immune at Imperial College London 11th October 2021  © Brendan Foster Photography-340

Coming up

Deeptech

Deep dive

Who are the founders solving some of the hardest problems with tech? What are the key areas of innovation in deeptech?

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Exits

Exits

Exits

Unicorns

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