€199亿：忽视女性主导的欧洲深度科技的代价

      The gender equity issue within European tech is well-known. Men hold the majority of leadership roles in most companies within this sector. Female founders face difficulties in securing venture capital, and there is a significant wage disparity between male and female employees. This gender disparity is particularly pronounced in the STEM-heavy arena of deep tech.

      According to a new report from the EU-funded GENDEX project released today, women lead only 22% of European deep tech companies. Obtaining funding remains difficult, with firms led by women taking six months longer to finalize their first term sheet. Over the last ten years, companies led by women attracted 1.8 times less capital compared to their male counterparts. Even those that succeed in obtaining funding often do so under less favorable conditions.

      The gender inequity in European deep tech stifles diverse viewpoints and hampers innovation, costing the industry potential revenues amounting to hundreds of billions of euros. Data from the GENDEX report indicates that in the past decade, women-led deep tech companies have generated over 11% of the total value from non-IPO exits, a figure that is disproportionately low considering they only represent 0.6% of such deals, underscoring the significant value created when women are at the helm.

      The GENDEX report found that increasing the representation of women-led companies at the exit stage — both for IPOs and non-IPOs — over the past decade could have unlocked approximately €198.8 billion in additional value.

      “This data demonstrates the need for structural change,” stated Tanya Suarez, chair of GENDEX, and CEO of consultancy firm BlueSpecs, as well as founder of the tech accelerator IoT Tribe. “Such change is necessary not just to equitably represent women, but evidence indicates that a gender-balanced ecosystem yields the best outcomes.”

      European deep tech is facing a restriction in talent. While women represent 42% of STEM graduates in Europe, their presence in the workforce significantly declines. The GENDEX report shows that women comprise only 24% of patent applicants, indicating a talent drain that hinders deep tech’s progress.

      “Tapping into Europe’s diverse talent pool within the tech and investment sectors as broadly and effectively as possible is crucial for fully leveraging our strengths in innovation,” remarked Stéphane Ouaki, head of the department at the European Innovation Council, which sponsored the report.

      The gender imbalance in deep tech mirrors wider societal gender challenges. There is no simple solution; rectifying this situation requires systemic changes in education, investment, and workplace culture.

      Nonetheless, GENDEX offers four main recommendations to address the issue. First, investors should insist that companies disclose their gender diversity statistics prior to investing. Second, more resources should be directed towards women-led teams, which have been proven to yield better results. Third, enhanced legal and funding support is necessary for women to secure intellectual property rights. Lastly, government co-investment should mandate gender-balanced portfolios to ensure accountability in public funding.

      This year’s TNW Conference will feature a Women in Tech ticket, providing a 50% discount for access to the event scheduled for June 19-20 in Amsterdam.