Two of the 10 finalists for the 2024 European Prize for Women Innovators, which were announced earlier this week, are from Irish companies.

Bàrbara Oliveira, CTO and co-founder of Luminate Medical, whose technology helps prevent the side effects of cancer treatment, has been short-listed for the Rising Innovators category. And Cristina Purtill, CEO of Plio Surgical, which developed a magnetic solution to intestinal post-surgery recovery, has been short-listed for the EIT (European Institute of Innovation and Technology) Women Leadership category.

The winners across the three prize categories will be revealed at the R&I Week Opening event on March 18, 2024. 

New prize jointly presented by EIT and the EIC 

The European Prize for Women Innovators' winners will be awarded by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and the European Innovation Council (EIC) at the R&I Week opening. Together the EIT and EIC are giving visibility to an even larger pool of women candidates, offering more opportunities to more innovators and more inspiring role models for women and girls everywhere. 

The three categories’ contestants competing in are: 

  • Women Innovators, for all women founders and co-founders across the EU and Associated Countries. The winner will receive EUR 100 000, and two runners-up EUR 70 000 and EUR 50 000 respectively;
  • Rising Innovators for promising young women innovators under the age of 35. The winner receives EUR 50 000, and two runners-up EUR 30 000 and EUR 20 000 respectively;
  • EIT Women Leadership for exceptional members of the EIT Community. The winner gets EUR 50 000, and two runners-up EUR 30 000 and EUR 20 000 respectively.

Iliana Ivanova, European commissioner for innovation, research, culture, education and youth, said: "My warmest congratulations to our finalists! I am deeply impressed by the ingenuity of those who made it this far.

"From creating entirely new alternatives to our current food system to medical technology that improves cancer treatment, these women produced game-changing innovation. I hope that this will inspire more women in Europe and beyond to pursue a career in innovation and lead the way."

The finalists

Rising Innovators

  • Sara Correyero Plaza (Spain), CEO and co-founder of IENAI SPACE, which develops and manufactures electric propulsion modules for nanosatellites together with mission optimisation 
  • María González Manso (Spain), CEO and co-founder of tucuvi, which automates follow-up phone consultations with empathetic artificial intelligence 
  • Bàrbara Oliveira (Ireland), CTO and co-founder of Luminate Medical, whose technology helps prevent the side effects of cancer treatment 
  • Eva Sadoun (France), CEO and co-founder of Lita.co, which makes it easier to invest in social enterprises 

Women Innovators

  • Elena García Armada (Spain), CEO and co-founder of Marsi Bionics, which develops paediatric exoskeletons and robotic knees; 
  • Rana Sanyal (Türkiye), CSO and co-founder of RS Research, which develops smart nanomedicines for targeted chemotherapy; 
  • Natalia Tomiyama (Germany), managing director and co-founder of NÜWIEL, which develops e-trailers that can match the movement of the pedestrian or biker pulling it. 

EIT Women Leadership 

  • Julia Bialetska (Estonia), CEO and co-founder of S.lab, which develops alternatives to plastic foam packaging; 
  • Deniz Ficicioglu (Germany), managing director and co-founder of BettaF!sh GmbH, which develops seaweed-based alternatives to fish; 
  • Cristina Purtill (Ireland), CEO of Plio Surgical, which developed a magnetic solution to intestinal post-surgery recovery.