EIT Supernovas – Women2Invest Program (Cohort 2024)

They support women with STEAM studies in launching their careers in Venture Capital. The program provides training in the fundamentals of this profession and connects participants with internship opportunities with VC funds. The training program is powered by IE Business School, counting with top voices of the European ecosystem.

The mission is to foster female STEAM talent into the investment ecosystem while offering investors access to a talent pool of promising women for their investment teams.

Aims

Women2Invest is an access and training activity aimed at:

• Supporting women with technical (STEAM) studies start their career in venture capital investment by training them in the fundamentals, and giving them access to investors recruiting.
• Giving investors (venture capital, corporate venture capital or corporate venturing units) access to a pool of promising women that will add diversity to their investment teams.

Why?

• Diverse teams make better investment decisions. Female presence managing Venture Capital Funds in Europe is low, particularly in senior positions, with only 15% of female GPs and more than 80% of investment committees being all male.
• STEAM talent is needed in deep-tech early stage investment. However, graduates in this type of degrees often have no or limited training or exposure to the business and financial aspects that are also essential in venture investment.
• Female presence in many STEAM degrees is still very low, and female graduates might favour other careers, partly due to lack of exposure and lack of female role models in venture investment.

How?

• Identifying and electing a pool of participants with STEAM degrees interested in starting a career in venture investment (previous investment education or experience is not required).
• Training the participants in the fundamentals of venture investment to prepare them for an entry role in the industry.
• Networking with seasoned investment professionals, other participants and Women2Invest alumnae.
• Matching candidates with participant funds (VC or Corporate VC) looking to recruit candidates for a paid internship.

What type of investors are they looking for?

Venture Capital funds, Corporate Venture Capital funds and Corporate Venturing units:

• Seeking new hires and committed to improving the gender-balance of their investment teams.
• Offering paid internships in investment related positions for at least 2 months, should they find a suitable candidate.
• Agreeing to allow candidates to combine training and internship (if coinciding).
• Committing to pay at least the minimum wage in their country.

Who is Women2Invest for?

• STEAM graduates
  • Undergraduates, masters or PhD.
• Passport holders
  • From one of the 27 EU member states or one of the Horizon Europe Associated countries.
• Interested in investing
  • With genuine interest in the venture capital industry and investing. No previous experience is required!

For more information, visit European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).