EIT Health-supported women innovators shortlisted for prestigious European prize

Four exceptional female entrepreneurs, all founders of EIT Health-supported start-ups, have been shortlisted for the prestigious European Prize for Women Innovators, a recognition of outstanding female leaders driving innovation in Europe.

The shortlisted innovators – Agnés Arbat, Oxolife (Spain), Avencia Sánchez-Mejias, Integra Therapeutics (Spain), Dr. Liz McGloughlin, Tympany Medical (Ireland), and Camille Bouget, Scienta Lab (France) – have each developed groundbreaking solutions that are making a tangible impact in healthcare.

The European Prize for Women Innovators, powered by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), celebrates female entrepreneurs whose companies are shaping the future of European innovation. This recognition highlights not only their contributions but also the crucial role that organisations like EIT Health play in accelerating the growth of start-ups, enabling them to compete on both European and global stages.

Empowering women in innovation

EIT Health has been a steadfast supporter of these founders, providing the resources, mentorship, and funding necessary to scale their start-ups and bring their life-changing innovations to market faster. Through tailored accelerator programmes, networking opportunities, and financial backing, EIT Health has been instrumental in helping these entrepreneurs turn their visions into reality.

Dr. Liz McGloughlin, CEO of Tympany Medical, an Irish start-up revolutionising minimally invasive surgery, reflected on the impact of EIT Health’s support on her journey:

“I am delighted to be amongst a group of innovative and talented women who are driving innovation forward in Europe. Since the early days of Tympany Medical, EIT Health and the EIT community have been champions and supporters of our vision to disrupt minimally invasive surgery. Winning this award would be a huge honour and validation of the work both myself and the team have put in, to date.”

Agnès Arbat, co-founder of Oxolife, also shared her thoughts on what winning the award would mean:

“Winning the European Prize for Women Innovators would be a tremendous honour. The prize would be a powerful validation of Oxolife’s mission to improve women’s health and a recognition of the importance of women-led innovation in healthcare. Winning the prize would open doors to new collaborations, accelerate our growth, and help us bring our life-changing products to even more women worldwide.”

EIT Health’s support has been instrumental in Oxolife’s journey, particularly through a grant that enabled the company to obtain scientific advice from the European Medicines Agency (EMA). This pivotal milestone provided essential regulatory clarity and reinforced their strategy to advance the development of a groundbreaking fertility treatment.

Camille Bouget, CEO and co-founder of Scienta Lab, also expressed her excitement about the recognition:

“At Scienta Lab, we are driven by a commitment to accelerate the development of targeted treatments for patients with immuno-inflammatory diseases. Being shortlisted for the European Prize for Women Innovators is an incredible recognition of the progress we’ve made towards this vision and underscores the significance of women-led companies in driving innovation. We are proud to be part of a community that is shaping the future of healthcare in Europe and beyond.”

Avencia Sánchez-Mejias, co-founder and CEO of Integra Therapeutics, reflected on the impact of EIT Health’s support and the significance of being recognised:

“I am very grateful to EIT Health for the commitment to promoting and supporting female talent and leadership in a male-dominated sector. From my early days as a bioentrepreneur, EIT Health has supported my journey with accelerator programmes like the Catapult programme, in which we were selected as a finalist. This year, I was a proud speaker at their INNOVEIT Conference in Helsinki, centered on celebrating pioneering women. Being one of the semi-finalists of the EIC and EIT Women Innovators this year, among a cohort of strong leaders across Europe, is an incredible honour. I already feel like a winner, and this fuels my commitment to continue to support the next generation of women scientists, innovators, and entrepreneurs to reach leadership roles confidently.”

From start-up to global impact

Each of these innovators has developed cutting-edge solutions aimed at addressing critical healthcare challenges:

• Agnès Arbat, Oxolife (Spain) – Pioneering advancements in fertility treatments with a novel therapeutic approach to improving embryo implantation success rates.
• Avencia Sánchez-Mejias, Integra Therapeutics (Spain) – Leading breakthroughs in gene writing technologies for advanced therapies, helping to develop safer and more effective treatments for genetic diseases, cancers and autoimmune diseases.
• Dr. Liz McGloughlin, Tympany Medical (Ireland) – Innovating variable angle endoscopy technology that improves patient and healthcare system outcomes.
• Camille Bouget, Scienta Lab (France) – Accelerating the development of targeted drugs for immuno-inflammatory diseases through an AI-powered platform that enhances translational research processes..

Their shortlisting for the European Prize for Women Innovators is a testament to their exceptional work, but also a reflection of how targeted support from organisations like EIT Health helps start-ups overcome barriers to growth, access critical funding, and establish credibility in highly competitive markets.

A commitment to driving innovation forward

At EIT Health, fostering an ecosystem that supports diverse, high-impact entrepreneurs is at the heart of our mission. By investing in start-ups like Oxolife, Integra Therapeutics, Tympany Medical, and Scienta Lab, we are not only helping individual businesses thrive but also strengthening Europe’s position as a global leader in healthcare innovation.

Recognition at this level showcases the effectiveness of EIT Health’s programmes in propelling start-ups toward success. As these inspiring women continue to push the boundaries of healthcare innovation, their journeys serve as powerful examples of what can be achieved through collaboration, expertise, and dedicated support.

We congratulate Agnès, Avencia, Liz, and Camille on their achievements and look forward to seeing how their innovations continue to transform lives. Their success underscores the value of empowering women in science, technology, and business – ensuring that Europe remains at the forefront of healthcare innovation.

Stay tuned to our web news and social channels to discover who is announced as winners during an official award ceremony at the EIC Summit.