From what countries are the winners of the European Prize for Women Innovators 2026?

From what countries are the winners of the European Prize for Women Innovators 2026 - Portugal Business News

Business News Europe - From what countries are the winners of the European Prize for Women Innovators 2026? Here are the countries where women innovators won the most prizes at the European Innovation Council (EIC) 2026 Summit in Brussels:

The European Prize for Women Innovators award honours the groundbreaking contributions of women entrepreneurs whose innovations are driving progress and strengthening Europe's competitive edge in the global economy: From pioneering advancements in healthcare and sustainability to revolutionising space technology and digital traceability, the 2026 EIC finalists exemplify the transformative power of women-led innovation.

From what countries are the winners of the European Prize for Women Innovators 2026?

Here are the countries that have the most women winning the European Prize for Women Innovators 2026 under the European Innovation Council (EIC):

1 - Portugal

Portugal ranks No. 1 country with the most women winning the European Prize for Women Innovators 2026 under the European Innovation Council with 2 award-winning women innovators:

1 - Ella Frances Cullen, Minespider - Portugal

Ella Frances Cullen from Portugal won the 1st Prize of the EIT Women Leadership award for exceptional members of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.

Ella Frances Cullen from Portugal is the co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Minespider, revolutionising supply chain transparency with a blockchain and AI platform delivering digital product and battery passports and promoting sustainability and compliance.

2 - Neide Vieira, IPLEXMED - Portugal

Neide Vieira from Portugal won the 3rd Prize at the EIT Women Leadership award for exceptional members of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.

Neide Vieira from Portugal is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of IPLEXMED, accelerating diagnosis infectious diseases diagnosis with graphene-based biosensors that enable portable, rapid, and lab-grade testing.

2 - Spain

Spain ranks 2nd country with the most women winning the European Prize for Women Innovators 2026 under the European Innovation Council with 2 award-winning women innovators:

1 - Judit Giró Benet, The Blue Box - Spain

Judit Giró Benet from Spain won the 3rd Prize at the EIC Rising Innovators award for promising young women innovators under 35.

Judit Giró Benet from Spain is the founder of The Blue Box, developing a non-invasive urine-based test to improve early breast cancer detection, particularly for women underserved by traditional screening methods.

2 - Judit Camargo Sanromà, Roka Furadada - Spain

Judit Camargo Sanromà from Spain won the 3rd Prize at the EIC Women Innovators award for exceptional women founders and co-founders from EU Member States and Associated Countries of Europe's multi-billion-euro programme Horizon Europe.

Judit Camargo Sanromà from Spain is the founder and CEO of Roka Furadada, tackling the growing threat of skin cancer with eco-friendly cosmetic ingredients that deliver high-performing UV protection while safeguarding marine ecosystems.

3 - Ukraine and United Kingdom

Ukraine and United Kingdom both rank 3rd at the European Prize for Women Innovators 2026 under the European Innovation Council with 1 award-winning woman innovator:

1 - Katerina Spranger, Oxford Heartbeat - Ukraine/UK

Katerina Spranger from Ukraine and the UK won the 1st Prize at the EIC Women Innovators, for exceptional women founders and co-founders from EU Member States and Associated Countries of Europe's multi-billion-euro programme Horizon Europe.

Katerina Spranger from Ukraine and UK is the founder and CEO of Oxford Heartbeat, harnessing artificial intelligence to enhance the safety and precision of brain aneurysm treatments.

4 - Belgium

Belgium ranks 4th at the European Prize for Women Innovators 2026 under the European Innovation Council with 1 award-winning woman innovator:

1 - Marta Oliveira, ATMOS Space Cargo - Belgium

Marta Oliveira from Belgium won the 1st Prize at the EIC Rising Innovators award for promising young women innovators under 35.

Marta Oliveira from Belgium is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of ATMOS Space Cargo, enabling reusable space capsules to safely return materials from orbit unlocking new research opportunities.

5 - Germany

Germany ranks 5th at the European Prize for Women Innovators 2026 under the European Innovation Council with 1 award-winning woman innovator:

1 - Elena Heber, HelloBetter - Germany

Elena Heber from Germany won the 2nd Prize at the EIC Women Innovators award for exceptional women founders and co-founders from EU Member States and Associated Countries of Europe's multi-billion-euro programme Horizon Europe.

Elena Heber from Germany is the co-founder and Managing Director of HelloBetter, expanding access to mental health care through clinically validated digital therapies and AI-driven solutions.

6 - Italy

Italy ranks 6th at the European Prize for Women Innovators 2026 under the European Innovation Council with 1 award-winning woman innovator:

1 - Stefania Raimondo, Navhetec - Italy

Stefania Raimondo from Italy won the 2nd Prize at the EIT Women Leadership award for exceptional members of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology

Stefania Raimondo from Italy is the co-founder of Navhetec, advancing plant-based nanomedicine by extracting bioactive particles from citrus juice to develop high-efficacy health products with novel functionalities.

7 - Switzerland

Switzerland ranks 7th at the European Prize for Women Innovators 2026 under the European Innovation Council with 1 award-winning woman innovator:

1 - Carin Lightner, Enantios - Switzerland

Carin Lightner from Switzerland won the 3rd Prize at the EIC Rising Innovators award for promising young women innovators under 35.

Carin Lightner from Switzerland is the co-founder and CEO of Enantios, accelerating drug discovery through faster and more precise analysis of complex molecules, paving the way for next-generation medicines.