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1. Introduction: Women's Entrepreneurship in the European Union

Women's entrepreneurship constitutes a strategic resource for the European Union but remains underrepresented in numbers. Women represent about 52% of the EU's population, but only 34.4% of self-employed workers are women. Similarly, only 30% of entrepreneurs starting up businesses are women. Furthermore, in 2024, start-ups founded or co-founded by women in Europe raised approximately €5.76 billion through 1,305 investment rounds, a figure representing 12% of the total venture capital invested in companies of all types.

2. European Support Initiatives and Networks

To reduce the imbalances still present, the European Union has strengthened programs and initiatives aimed at supporting women's entrepreneurship. Among these, the "InvestEU Gender Finance Lab," launched with the European Investment Bank, facilitates access to credit for SMEs led by women or with a strong female presence in decision-making roles.

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Alongside financial instruments, there are specialized training paths, mentoring activities, consultancy services, and support networks that help bridge the gap in entrepreneurial skills, promote female presence in STEM/STEAM sectors, and improve investment opportunities.

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European networks dedicated to women entrepreneurs also represent an essential pillar of this ecosystem: through transnational platforms and professional communities, they promote the exchange of best practices, create opportunities for collaboration with incubators, institutions, and research centres, and contribute to increasing the competitiveness and visibility of women-led businesses in international markets.

2.1. European Networks

2.1.1. Eurochambres Women Network (EWN)

EWN is a pan-European network of Chambers of Commerce in support of European women-led businesses. The network consists of 1-3 female representatives per country, appointed by their respective national delegations, members of Eurochambres. The organization and coordination of the network's activities are managed by Eurochambres.

  • The network meets twice a year, on the sidelines of flagship Eurochambres events or notable events related to women's entrepreneurship. The meetings will be an opportunity for members to network with each other, exchange information and best practices, and be informed about the European political context regarding women's entrepreneurship, thanks to contributions from guest speakers.

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    Every two years, EWN conducts a survey on women-led businesses in the EU. The latest report, titled "Unveiling insights from the women entrepreneurs," was published in April 2025.

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    For more information, click here

2.1.2. Other Platforms and Networks

WEgate
The WEgate platform is a one-stop-shop for women of all ages who want to start, manage, and grow a business. Launched in September 2016 and funded with European funds, WEgate provides information and links to access training, mentoring, consultancy, and business networking opportunities. Since 2025, WEgate has been an association based in Brussels that supports the growth of women entrepreneurs in Europe.

 

The European Community of Business Angels
The goal of this initiative is to support women entrepreneurs in accessing alternative sources of financing. The network was created in 2017, through 4 projects covering 14 EU countries.

 

The European Network to Promote Women's Entrepreneurship (WES)
WES is a policy network with members from 31 European nations (EU countries, Iceland, Norway, and Turkey). The delegates represent governments and national institutions and are responsible for promoting and supporting women's entrepreneurship at the national level. WES members provide advice, support, information, and contacts regarding existing support measures for women entrepreneurs. They also help identify best practices.

 

The European Network of Women Entrepreneurship Ambassadors
The European Network of Women Entrepreneurship Ambassadors was launched in 2009. It is composed of about 270 entrepreneurs from 22 European countries. The goal of the ambassadors is to act as role models by telling their stories to raise awareness and encourage entrepreneurship as a career option for women of all ages. Many of the ambassadors have gone further, also being actively involved in supporting the creation of new businesses.

2.2. Programs and Initiatives Supporting Women's Entrepreneurship in the EU

The European Union firmly supports women's entrepreneurship through instruments that aim to reduce barriers to accessing credit, incentivize innovation, and promote women's leadership in all economic sectors. In addition to general SME support programs, there are specific initiatives aimed at enhancing women's skills and guaranteeing equal opportunities in the European single market. Among the most relevant are Women TechEU with the Women Leadership Programme promoted by the EIT and the InvestEU Gender Finance Lab, launched by the EIB Group (European Investment Bank).

2.2.1. Women TechEU

Funded under the "European Innovation Ecosystems" work program of Horizon Europe, Women TechEU is a new initiative of the European Union. The program offers high-level coaching and mentoring to female start-up founders, as well as targeted funding to help them take their business to the next level.

  • Women TechEU offers:

    • Financial support to the company in the form of an individual grant of €75,000 to support the initial stages of the innovation process and the company's growth.

    • The opportunity to participate in dedicated activities organized by InvestEU and the Enterprise Europe Network.

    • Mentoring and coaching provided by the EIC Business Acceleration Services (BAS), as part of the new Women Leadership Programme, which includes dedicated networking and pitching events.

     

    The Women Leadership Programme, developed by the EIT (European Institute of Innovation and Technology), focuses on promoting female leadership in the field of innovation and technology entrepreneurship. Through dedicated pathways, the program provides women entrepreneurs with concrete tools to access international networks, develop competitive business models, and improve their ability to attract investment. In this way, the EIT fosters female presence in high value-added sectors, contributing to the creation of a more balanced and inclusive ecosystem.

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    For more information on Women TechEU, click here

    For more information on the Women Leadership Programme, click here

2.2.2. InvestEU Gender Finance Lab

Launched by the EIB Group under the InvestEU program, the Gender Finance Lab aims to mobilize new financial instruments for businesses led by women or with a high percentage of female leadership.

  • The initiative aims to address the gender gap in access to capital, often cited as one of the main obstacles to the growth of women-led businesses. Through collaboration with financial intermediaries and commercial banks, the lab supports the creation of dedicated credit lines and encourages investment in start-ups and SMEs led by women, thereby strengthening the European entrepreneurial fabric with a focus on inclusion and sustainability.

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    For more information, click here

3. UN Women for Female Empowerment Worldwide

Since 2025, Eurochambres and European Chambers of Commerce have been collaborating with UN Women, the United Nations entity dedicated to the advancement of women's rights, gender equality, and the empowerment of all women and girls.

  • UN Women supports United Nations Member States in developing laws, policies, and programs that guarantee the effective implementation of international standards on gender equality. It collaborates with governments, civil society, and other partners to design and implement initiatives that address the specific challenges women and girls face in various contexts.

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    Its main priorities include:

    • Promoting women's leadership and participation in all areas of life.

    • Ending gender-based violence.

    • Involving women in all aspects of peace and security processes.

    • Strengthening women's economic empowerment.

    • Integrating gender equality into national development planning and budgeting.

     

    For more information, click here

4. Data, Studies, and Research

The collection and analysis of data on women's entrepreneurship are fundamental for guiding public policies and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions supporting women entrepreneurs. Having reliable information allows for the identification of specific obstacles, monitoring the evolution of the phenomenon, and promoting targeted strategies for inclusion and development. To ensure consistent comparisons between different EU countries, it is essential to adopt common definitions of "women-led enterprise" and "female leadership," thus creating a solid basis for evidence-based policy formulation.

4.1. European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE)

The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) is the EU agency dedicated to promoting gender equality through research, data, and analytical tools.

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Among its main activities is the collection of comparable statistics on women's entrepreneurship, the study of gender gaps in economic sectors, and the dissemination of best practices.

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The most recent EIGE research highlights that, despite an increase in women-led businesses over the last decade, significant inequalities persist in access to capital, participation in technology and STEM sectors, and representation in decision-making positions. Furthermore, the institute emphasizes the importance of integrated policies that combine financial support, training, mentoring, and networking to strengthen female leadership and improve the sustainability of women-led businesses.

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For more information, click here

4.2. 2025 Eurochambres-UN Women Survey on Women's Entrepreneurship

Women represent almost half of the workforce in Europe but remain underrepresented among business owners: only about one-third of businesses in the EU are started by women, confirming a persistent gender gap in entrepreneurial activity. Strengthening the role of women as entrepreneurs can contribute to economic growth, employment, and innovation, but they face specific challenges, from access to finance to work-life balance.

  • The report presents the results of the latest survey conducted by Eurochambres and UN Women (Europe and Central Asia Regional Office) on women entrepreneurs in Europe, collecting data on demographics, business characteristics, motivations, obstacles, sectoral distribution, and the role of policies and support networks. The 2025 survey, which follows three previous biennial editions since 2019, collected 897 responses from 34 European countries, including EU states and other European geographical countries.

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    The questionnaire, available online in 26 languages, included multiple-choice questions, with some optional and the possibility for additional comments, allowing for deeper insights into the responses. Some questions asked participants to select and rank the three most relevant options, with a score assigned to evaluate perceived priorities. For the first time, the survey was partially open to other entrepreneurs not identified as women, who contributed to the sections related to female presence in the workplace.

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    For more information, click here

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