The leading universities of science and technology united within CESAER have today published a new report ‘Supporting diverse and inclusive entrepreneurship’, showcasing practices from eight Member institutions advancing gender equality and inclusion in innovation ecosystems.

• The report is available here for download and dissemination (PDF).

Despite growing awareness and notable progress, women, particularly in deep tech, continue to face systemic barriers in entrepreneurial pathways. These include limited access to funding, reduced visibility, lack of tailored support, and biases in entrepreneurial support structures.

The new CESAER report compiles inspiring practices from Members including NTNU, KTH, University of Belgrade, University of Strathclyde, Université Paris-Saclay, University of Sheffield, University of Surrey, and TU Wien. The initiatives range from student-led movements and peer mentoring to structural reforms in entrepreneurship support and demonstrate how universities are taking meaningful steps to embed inclusivity in their innovation strategies.

What European experts in diversity and innovation said about the report.

“In our recent EIC Board statement, we reaffirmed that closing the gender innovation gap is not just about fairness—it's an economic imperative. The CESAER report brings this ambition to life at the institutional level, showing how Europe's universities are taking ownership of inclusion by embedding structural change into entrepreneurial ecosystems. This kind of leadership, grounded in practical action, is exactly what we need to make inclusive innovation the norm across Europe.”

-- Anita Krohn (Group CEO of the Norwegian industrial investment company DSD AS (Det Stavangerske Dampskibsselskap) and Vice Chair and board member of the European Innovation Council)

"It is great to see CESAER’s Member universities translating discussion into action through concrete steps to foster inclusive entrepreneurship. This report highlights how targeted structural interventions, when embedded in institutional practice, can start to shift the dial for underrepresented founders. At Female Founders, we’ve long championed this kind of systemic approach, and it’s encouraging to see the momentum building across Europe’s innovation landscape."

-- Lisa Marie Fassl (Co-Founder & GP of Fund F at Female Founders)

A word from our Senior Advisor.

“This report shows the transformative role universities of science and technology can play in building inclusive innovation ecosystems. Our Members are driving real change by embedding diversity into institutional strategies, designing more flexible support, and amplifying underrepresented voices in entrepreneurship. This is not only a question of fairness, but also a strategic imperative for Europe’s future competitiveness and societal resilience.”

— Louise Drogoul (Senior Advisor for Innovation & Sustainability at CESAER)

For more information, please contact our Information & Communication Officer Justine Moynat.