After two years of European collaboration, the HER FUND project is drawing to a close. Funded by the Horizon Europe programme under the European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE) initiative, this ambitious project aimed to reduce gender inequalities and regional disparities in access to funding for women-led start-ups. Today, its legacy is reflected in a strong European community, practical tools and new opportunities for female entrepreneurs and investors across Europe.
Building bridges between European innovation ecosystems
Launched in March 2024 and coordinated by The Edge (Bulgaria), HER FUND brought together nine partners from seven European countries to strengthen links between the most connected innovation ecosystems (BCIEs) and the less connected ones (LCIEs). The project focused on fostering the emergence of a pan-European network of gender-sensitive investors, whilst supporting women entrepreneurs in their search for funding.
Tangible results for female entrepreneurs and investors
Over the course of the project, more than 100 female founders and investors have benefited from the training and support programmes developed by the consortium. These initiatives have enabled female entrepreneurs to improve their readiness for investment, boost their visibility and expand their networks across Europe.
One of the project’s major achievements is the creation of the HER FUND digital platform, designed as a space for networking, learning and connecting female entrepreneurs, investors and innovation stakeholders. This platform offers practical resources, matchmaking opportunities and tools designed to promote cross-border investment.
HER FUND has also produced several reports, strategic recommendations and practical guides for public decision-makers, investors and support organisations, with the aim of promoting more inclusive investment practices across Europe.
A committed European community
Beyond tangible results, HER FUND has brought together a community of over 4,000 members who share a common ambition: to promote fairer access to funding opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
Throughout the project, numerous events were organised across Europe, notably in Brussels, Sofia, Porto, Oslo, Bratislava and Copenhagen. These meetings helped to strengthen exchanges between female entrepreneurs, investors, public decision-makers and stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem.
As Anne-Charlotte Joubert, the project coordinator, points out:
“HER FUND demonstrates that when Europe collaborates with purpose, meaningful change becomes possible.”
What comes next for HER FUND?
Although the project officially ended in March 2026, its impact will continue well beyond its duration. The tools developed, the digital platform, the training programmes and, above all, the network created will continue to support the emergence of a new generation of women entrepreneurs in Europe.
This momentum will continue notably through SCALE’HER, a new European project funded by Horizon Europe and launched in 2025. Building on the achievements of HER FUND, SCALE’HER aims to accelerate the growth of women-led deep-tech start-ups by offering them enhanced access to funding, market opportunities and a pan-European network of investors and innovation stakeholders. You can already find on YouTube our series of street interviews mixed with our experts comments.
As a partner in both initiatives, Euronovia will continue its commitment to a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem by leading SCALE’HER’s communication and dissemination activities. This continuity will enable us to build on the results achieved with HER FUND whilst supporting a new generation of female founders as they scale up and expand internationally.
“At EURONOVIA, we believe that the impact of a European project should not be measured solely by its results, but also by its ability to make those results visible, accessible and sustainable over time. Through HER FUND, we have been proud to support the promotion of the project’s achievements and to showcase the people and organisations that contributed to its success. With this in mind, we developed the Impact Portfolio, a legacy resource designed to bring together the project’s key results, best practices and lessons learned, ensuring that its impact continues to inspire and support more inclusive innovation ecosystems across Europe.”
Inès, Emilie & Virginie (Euronovia’s HER FUND Team)