European Prize for Women Innovators 2026 celebrates visionary women

The European Commission revealed the winners of the 12th edition of the European Prize for Women Innovators at the European Innovation Council (EIC) Summit in Brussels. The award honours the groundbreaking contributions of women entrepreneurs whose innovations are driving progress and strengthening Europe's competitive edge in the global economy.

• In the EIC Women Innovators category, Katerina Spranger (Ukraine/UK), founder and CEO of Oxford Heartbeat, won for using artificial intelligence to improve the safety and precision of brain aneurysm treatment.
• In the EIC Rising Innovators category, Marta Oliveira (Belgium), co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of ATMOS Space Cargo, took first place for developing reusable space capsules that can safely return materials from orbit and open up new research possibilities.
• In the EIT Women Leadership category, Ella Frances Cullen (Portugal), co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Minespider, won for creating a blockchain and AI-based platform that improves supply chain transparency through digital product and battery passports, supporting sustainability and compliance.

The prize showcases the remarkable achievements of winners and runners-up across three categories: 1) ‘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; the ‘EIC Rising Innovators', for promising young women innovators under 35; and the ‘EIT Women Leadership', for exceptional members of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology - EIT Community.

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