Women are underrepresented in EU private equity, venture capital and private debt markets. It’s time to change that.

“A clear gender finance gap persists in the European funding ecosystem. Addressing it, and supporting greater diversity is key to creating a more prosperous, innovative, and inclusive business environment. The EIF is proud to be an active part of this transformation.”

Marjut Falkstedt, EIF Chief Executive

Empowering Equity at the EIF

At the European Investment Fund, Empowering Equity represents our commitment to making the European innovation and investment ecosystem more inclusive, representative, and equitable. We believe that diversity isn't just a metric—it's a catalyst for innovation, stronger performance, and sustainable growth.

We embed gender-smart investing criteria into our decision-making to ensure diversity is considered in every investment we support.

Beyond capital, we create pathways for change through mentorship programmes, training academies, and community events that give underrepresented founders and fund managers access to networks, knowledge, and opportunities.

0%

of investments in 2024 directed to financial intermediaries meeting gender-smart criteria

students joining the Empowering Equity Academy in 2024 and 2025

0%

women in management at the EIF in 2024

Our key programmes

Mentorship

Connecting emerging fund managers and entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds with seasoned industry leaders to foster guidance, visibility, and growth.

Find out more

Academy

Offering hands-on training, expert sessions, and resources to students to help diverse talent navigate and succeed in the investment landscape.

Find out more

Events

Community building - creating safe, intentional spaces for open dialogue, knowledge sharing, and cross-sector collaboration.

Access latest edition

Read more

InvestEU

The EU's flagship investment programme introduced a set of Gender Smart Criteria which is now applied to all EIF's equity investments

Learn more

Women Founders in European Deep Tech Startups

A study on the gender finance gap in investments in European deep-tech.

Read now

The VC factor: gender lens edition

A joint study by the EIF and Invest Europe

Read now

Academic papers and journals

on the topic of gender equality in investment and entrepreneurship

Reading list