Women in Innovation

Enabling brilliant women across the UK to fully achieve their vision for their businesses and change the world, while championing and celebrating gender diversity throughout UK innovation.

Accelerate your company’s growth through innovation

Innovate UK Women in Innovation was launched in 2016 to encourage more women to apply to Innovate UK funding opportunities. Since its inception, the programme has enabled brilliant women across the UK to fully achieve their vision for their businesses and change the world.

Our research into women innovators highlighted access to funding and finance as their biggest barrier to success. They also struggled with the lack of visible role models and inability to reach the right networks.

Over the last eight years, we’ve championed women entrepreneurship and aimed to dismantle barriers to growth, whilst inspiring more women into innovation.

The Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards are open to all backgrounds, sectors, regions and innovation areas. We want to support women who are at a critical stage with their business, where an award will enable them to take an important step forward. The funding should help you make a real difference to innovation in the UK including in and beyond your sector or innovation area.

 

OPPORTUNITY

Women Innovators in Foundation Industries mentoring programme

Applications are open for the Women Innovators in Foundation Industries mentoring programme. Find out more about how to become a mentee or mentor.

Find out more and apply

Impact

Women in Innovation has had an incredible impact so far and kickstarted real change across the innovation system.

awarded since 2016

£10m

awarded since 2016

winners supported

200

winners supported

increase in women applying for Innovate UK funding

>70%

increase in women applying for Innovate UK funding

in our vibrant community

10,000

in our vibrant community

Previous winners

Sara Berkai

Fuelling STEM learning among displaced children through play

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Iris Kramer

Using deep learning to detect unknown archaeological sites

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Fatemeh Ameri

Analysing medical images with AI

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Zijing Li

Self-monitoring concrete for a more sustainable future

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CASE STUDIES

Success stories from pioneering women innovators

Previous winners of the Women in Innovation Awards have had a huge impact on developing innovative businesses while creating a new community of women entrepreneurs, proving that anything is possible. The stories of our remarkable award winners will inspire the next generation of women change-makers.

Explore stories

Legacy winners

Changing the world. The entrepreneurs tackling society’s challenges.

Our partnerships

The Women in Innovation programme campaign works to promote women role models and business leaders to inspire the younger generation into innovation. We work with the investor community and UK Business Angels Association to foster a more gender-diverse investment ecosystem in the UK, to enable our Women in Innovation community to inspire students up and down the country.

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Emma Taylor-Steeds

Our Expert

Emma Taylor-Steeds

Read full profile

Related Events and Recordings

Tue
14
May
2024

Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards 2024/25 Briefing Event

10.00 - 12.30 | Online

Watch now
Fri
28
Jun
2024

Women in Innovation: Application Support Sessions

11.00 - 13.00 GMT | Online

Watch now
See all events

Related News

Empowering innovation, diversity and shaping the future of UK manufacturing

07/05/2024

Empowering innovation, diversity and shaping the future of UK manufacturing

A recap of Made Smarter Innovation Network’s impactful journey.

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£3.2m funding awarded to advance early-stage healthcare innovation

24/07/2024

£3.2m funding awarded to advance early-stage healthcare innovation

Thirty-three companies, which took part in Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst pilot accelerators, have been awarded funding to further develop their innovative projects.

Read more
More News

Related Opportunities

ICURe Discover for Women Entrepreneurs - November 2024

Opens: 27/09/2024   Closes: 24/10/2024

An 8-week, part-time online potential market exploration programme for researchers and technicians, with up to £2,500 support for market discovery activities

More Information

Women Innovators in Foundation Industries mentoring programme

Opens: 02/10/2024   Closes: 13/10/2024

Applications are open for the Women Innovators in Foundation Industries mentoring programme. Find out more about how to become a mentee or mentor.

More Information

Biomedical Catalyst: Accelerating Femtech

Opens: 09/09/2024   Closes: 13/10/2024

Commercial help and funding for early-stage companies, university spinouts and entrepreneurial-minded academics focused on women’s health.

More Information

Subscribe to the Women in Innovation Newsletter

We are now proud to be supporting a vibrant Women in Innovation community that encompasses over 9,000 members. Join the community today to stay in the know.

Support for Innovators

Whether you are an early-stage, pre-seed innovator, or a more established company, there are many networks and resources out there to support your innovation journey. It can be confusing to know which is right for your innovation and stage of business.

No Limits

Develop your talent, discover opportunities to build your skills and secure investment for innovation. No Limits, launched by Innovate UK, brings you the best programmes from innovative organisations across the UK.

Explore
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