#SheInspiresMe: European Commission awards EU prize to four outstanding women entrepreneurs

At an award ceremony in Brussels on International Women's Day, Commissioner Carlos Moedas and Vice-President of the European Parliament Mairead McGuinness announced the four winners of the 2017 Horizon 2020-funded EU Prize for Women Innovators.

The winners of the 2017 EU Prize for Women Innovators are:

1st Prize (€100,000): Ms Michela Magas, of Croatian/British nationality, founder of Stromatolite, a UK Design Innovation Lab with a studio in Sweden, building a new generation of incubation and creative technology toolkits for innovation.

2nd Prize (€50,000): Ms Petra Wadström from Sweden, founder of Solvatten, which produces a portable water purifier and water heater that are powered by solar energy.

3rd Prize (€30,000): Ms Claudia Gärtner from Germany, founder of microfluidic ChipShop, which provides “lab-on-a-chip” systems as miniaturised solutions for better diagnostics.

Carlos Moedas, Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, said: "The winners of this year's EU Prizes for Women innovators are truly inspiring. Europe needs more women innovators like them, with great ideas and the courage and determination to take risks and succeed. The innovations that the four winners have brought from idea to market are remarkable not only from a business point of view but also because they will benefit and improve the lives of many people in Europe and beyond".

Mairead McGuinness, Vice-President of the European Parliament, said: "This Prize demonstrates the significant contribution of women innovators in bringing many life-changing innovations to the market. It is very fitting that on this International Women's Day 2017 we recognise and celebrate their entrepreneurial spirit and achievements; we do so in a very visible way to give inspiration to other women and, in particular, to young women and girls to look towards innovation and entrepreneurship."

In addition, a new category was introduced this year - the Rising Innovators Award - which recognises excellence in female entrepreneurs aged 30 years or under. The first winner of the prize worth €20,000 is Ms Kristina Tsvetanova from Bulgaria, who is CEO and co-founder of the Austrian company, BLITAB Technology, which has produced the first tablet for blind users, called BLITAB.

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