Frequently, the findings are disheartening.
Another calculated that overlookingwomen-leddeep tech firms over the past decade cost the economy198.8bn.
Yet there are also reasons for optimism.
One is that the investment landscape is showing signs of progress.
Another source of hope is the transformative technologies emerging from their companies.
Anne Berends, co-founder and CTO at SunLED Life Science
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Under her watch, the idea grew into a new spin-off company: SunLED Life Science.
As the co-founder and CTO, Berends shapes the technological and strategic direction of the business.
She makes a clear case for supporting women in tech.
Half of the population is female, and girls consistently outperform boys in school, she says.
This isnt just a diversity issue; its a missed opportunity.
When female founders are rare, valuable innovation and economic potential are left untapped.
To unlock this talent, she continues,fundingaccess must improve.
The company is developing a nuclear reactor with an unusual power source: molten salt.
The approach could realise the dream of sustainable, and green nuclear energy.
Lauwers sees two sides to her position as a woman leader in tech.
But I also have to fight bias.
Im not here because Im a woman; Im here despite it, she says.
Every day, I push against biases that Im less technical, smart, persistent, or experienced.
Beyond the ethical issues, Lauwers emphasises the business argument for greater equality.
Im proud that Thorizon has over 30% female employees.
Esther Bisschop, co-founder at Th3rd
Esther Bisschop is an entrepreneur with a flair for storytelling.
She deployed these skills to turn her startup Th3rd into a global leader in 3D scanning software.
Th3rds digital models were a hit with clothing brands.
Social media giants also recognised the techs value.
In 2022, Snap acquired the Amsterdam-based business as part of a drive to embed AR into e-commerce.
Bisschop points to the societal benefits of diversity in tech.
The worlds most pressing challenges wont be solved by a select few, they require all of us.
Investing in women founders isnt just about fairness, its about unlocking the full potential of entrepreneurship.
In 2021, she added founder to her extensive list of professional achievements.
The company she built FlowBeams began with the idea of applying tattoos without needles.
The conceptevolvedinto a non-invasive injection system for cosmetic and pharmaceutical treatments.
Milovich highlights the benefits of being a woman leader.
Being a female founder means navigating uncharted waters with hidden and declared biases.
However, for me it has brought a unique perspective where resilience drives innovation much stronger, she says.
This years TNW Conference features aWomen in Tech ticket.
The pass provides 50% off access to the event, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam.
TNW is also hosting a Female Founders Brunch on March 15.
You canregister hereto attend.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he e(show all)Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse).
