About the project
In the European Union (EU), women account for about 73% of the total number of “missing” entrepreneurs1. There could be an additional 5.5 million women starting and managing new businesses in the European Union, if everyone had an equal opportunity to transform their ideas into a business and if women participated in early-stage entrepreneurship at the same rate as 30-49 year old men2 . Women consistently outnumber men in university degrees, but they are underrepresented in ESTEAM3 disciplines like entrepreneurship, science, technology, engineering, digital arts and mathematics.
Because of this gap, the European Commission is committed to supporting women and girls to pursue their interests, motivations and choices more easily, and achieve their full potential. This policy is underlined in the EU SME Strategy for a Sustainable and Digital Europe, the SME Relief Package, the New Skills Agenda, the Digital Education Action Plan, and the Gender Equality Strategy 2020‑2025.
This project aims to address two main challenges, namely the lack of data on women entrepreneurs and the low number of role models that can inspire girls and women to study and pursue careers in the ESTEAM areas.
As such, it serves a dual purpose: to take stock of the current state of women’s entrepreneurship in Europe and to showcase the remarkable work of girls and women who are active in entrepreneurship, science and technology and can inspire girls and women to follow suit.
The state of women’s entrepreneurship in Europe
The first objective is to gather and systematically analyse the latest data on women entrepreneurs in Europe, including:
- The number of women entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurship rate in various countries
- Types of entrepreneurship and sectors of activity
- Key barriers faced by women in starting and growing their businesses
- Existing policy measures and initiatives designed to support women entrepreneurs
This exhaustive data collection will serve as a foundation for developing evidence-based policies and actionable strategies that foster an enabling environment for women in entrepreneurship.
Showcasing role models in ESTEAM
The second objective is to initiate a compelling media campaign that highlights female role models who can motivate and inspire women and girls to pursue careers in entrepreneurship, science, and technology. Girls and women from different ages, backgrounds, geographic regions and business sectors will share their entrepreneurial journeys and the lessons they have learned along the way. These stories will serve as sources of inspiration for becoming more entrepreneurial.
1 OECD & European Commission (2023). Report on Missing Entrepreneurs)
2 idem
3 ESTEAM stands for entrepreneurship, science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.