{"id":656038,"date":"2025-03-06T23:45:14","date_gmt":"2025-03-06T20:45:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/dutch-tech-leaders-call-for-stronger-support-for-female-founders\/"},"modified":"2025-03-06T23:45:14","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T20:45:14","slug":"dutch-tech-leaders-call-for-stronger-support-for-female-founders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dutch-tech-leaders-call-for-stronger-support-for-female-founders\/","title":{"rendered":"#Dutch tech leaders call for stronger support for female founders"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3e053384981\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3e053384981\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dutch-tech-leaders-call-for-stronger-support-for-female-founders\/#Anne_Berends_co-founder_and_CTO_at_SunLED_Life_Science\" >Anne Berends, co-founder and CTO at SunLED Life Science<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dutch-tech-leaders-call-for-stronger-support-for-female-founders\/#Kiki_Lauwers_CEO_at_Thorizon\" >Kiki Lauwers, CEO at Thorizon<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dutch-tech-leaders-call-for-stronger-support-for-female-founders\/#Esther_Bisschop_co-founder_of_Th3rd\" >Esther Bisschop, co-founder of Th3rd<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dutch-tech-leaders-call-for-stronger-support-for-female-founders\/#Lea_Milovich_CEO_and_co-founder_at_FlowBeams\" >Lea Milovich, CEO and co-founder at FlowBeams<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div id=\"article-main-content\">\n<p data-start=\"98\" data-end=\"243\">In the run-up to every International Women\u2019s Day (IWD), new data is released on gender inequity in tech. Frequently, the findings are disheartening.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"245\" data-end=\"503\">This week, one report estimated that female founders in Europe secured just 12% of last year\u2019s total VC funding. Another calculated that overlooking <span style=\"color: #0f0f0f;\">women-led<\/span>\u00a0deep tech firms over the past decade cost the economy \u20ac198.8bn.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"505\" data-end=\"741\">Yet there are also reasons for optimism. One is that the investment landscape is showing signs of progress. According to the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.femaleinnovationindex.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Female Innovation Index<\/a>, last year saw a 7% increase in round size and a 15% rise in M&amp;A activity for tech firms founded by women.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"505\" data-end=\"741\">Another source of hope is the transformative technologies emerging from their companies. As IWD <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>roaches, we spoke to four women propelling powerful innovations in TNW\u2019s home country, the Netherlands, about their work \u2014 and why the tech sector must do more for gender equity.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Anne_Berends_co-founder_and_CTO_at_SunLED_Life_Science\"><\/span>Anne Berends, co-founder and CTO at SunLED Life Science<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"inarticle-wrapper channel-cta\">\n<div class=\"ica-text\">\n<p class=\"ica-text__title\">TNW Conference &#8211; Celebrating Women in Tech <\/p>\n<p>Helping bridge the gap for women with our Women in Tech pass &#8211; all the benefits of the event for a discounted price.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1412498 js-lazy\" alt=\"Anne Berends, Co-founder and CTO at SunLED Life Science\" width=\"1628\" height=\"1090\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-05-at-15.37.38.png\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1412498\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-05-at-15.37.38.png\" alt=\"Anne Berends, Co-founder and CTO at SunLED Life Science\" width=\"1628\" height=\"1090\" srcset=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<p>Anne Berends has a rare blend of academic expertise and business nous. As a materials scientist and program director at Dutch LED pioneer Seaborough, she substantiated a compelling hypothesis: near-infrared light can improve our health and well-being.<\/p>\n<p>Under her watch, the idea grew into a\u00a0new spin-off company: SunLED Life <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"Science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Science<\/a>.\u00a0As the co-founder and CTO, Berends shapes the technological and strategic direction of the business.<\/p>\n<p>She makes a clear case for supporting women in tech.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHalf of the population is female, and girls consistently outperform boys in school,\u201d she says. \u201cThe reality is that while there are countless women with brilliant, entrepreneurial ideas, they remain underrepresented in the startup world. This isn\u2019t just a diversity issue; it\u2019s a missed opportunity. When female founders are rare, valuable innovation and economic potential are left untapped.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To unlock this talent, she continues, funding\u00a0access must improve.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s time for VCs and [private equity] firms to recognise this and actively invest in the next generation of women-led venture\u00a0\u2014 because the talent is there, waiting to be unlocked.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Kiki_Lauwers_CEO_at_Thorizon\"><\/span>Kiki Lauwers, CEO at Thorizon<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1412500 js-lazy\" alt=\"Kiki Lauwers, CEO at Thorizon\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2025\/03\/Untitled-design-24.jpg\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1412500\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2025\/03\/Untitled-design-24.jpg\" alt=\"Kiki Lauwers, CEO at Thorizon\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Like Berends, Kiki Lauwers has a glittering <span>resume<\/span> of business and scientific<span style=\"color: #303030;\"> credentials.<\/span> She holds a Master\u2019s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Delft University of <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology<\/a> and an MBA from INSEAD.<\/p>\n<p>After working at McKinsey, online retailer bol.com, and audiovisual <span style=\"color: #000000;\">business<\/span>\u00a0Kinly, she joined deep tech scaleup Thorizon as CEO in 2023. The company is developing a nuclear reactor with an unusual power source: molten salt. The approach could realise the dream of\u00a0sustainable, and green nuclear energy.<\/p>\n<p>Lauwers sees two sides to her position as a woman leader in tech.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBeing \u2018different\u2019 has its advantages \u2014 people remember you, and with all-male panels fading out, I get more opportunities to speak. But I also have to fight bias.\u00a0I\u2019m not here because I\u2019m a woman; I\u2019m here despite it,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery day, I push against biases that I\u2019m less technical, smart, persistent, or experienced. In a recent interview I was quoted as the \u2018Belgian woman, and my peer was quoted as the \u2018engineer from Delft\u2019. I am an engineer with an MBA degree, a former strategy consultant with a lot of management experience, but sometimes, I do wonder if securing funding would be easier if my name were Peter.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Beyond the ethical issues, Lauwers emphasises the business argument for greater equality.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEurope\u2019s deep tech sector needs all the talent it can get, which means encouraging more women to pursue STEM and highlighting engineering role models,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m proud that Thorizon has over 30% female employees.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Esther_Bisschop_co-founder_of_Th3rd\"><\/span>Esther Bisschop, co-founder of Th3rd<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1412502 js-lazy\" alt=\"Esther Bisschop, the co-founder of Th3rd\" width=\"1640\" height=\"1093\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2025\/03\/334X2753-bewerkt-1-1.jpg\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1412502\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2025\/03\/334X2753-bewerkt-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"Esther Bisschop, the co-founder of Th3rd\" width=\"1640\" height=\"1093\" srcset=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<p>Esther Bisschop is an entrepreneur with a flair for storytelling. She deployed these skills to turn her startup \u2014 Th3rd \u2014 into a global leader in 3D scanning software.<\/p>\n<p>Th3rd\u2019s digital models were a hit with clothing brands. <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Social media<\/a> giants also recognised the tech\u2019s value. In 2022, Snap acquired the Amsterdam-based business as part of a drive to embed AR into e-commerce.<\/p>\n<p>Bisschop points to the societal benefits of diversity in tech.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe world\u2019s most pressing challenges won\u2019t be solved by a select few, they require all of us.\u00a0To build a better future, we need founders of different genders, backgrounds, ages, and cultures to drive innovation,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInvesting in women founders isn\u2019t just about fairness, it\u2019s about unlocking the full potential of entrepreneurship.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lea_Milovich_CEO_and_co-founder_at_FlowBeams\"><\/span>Lea Milovich, CEO and co-founder at FlowBeams<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1412503 js-lazy\" alt=\"Lea Milovich, CEO and co-founder at FlowBeams\" width=\"1640\" height=\"1230\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2025\/03\/Lea-Milovich_FlowBeams-Interview-1.jpg\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1412503\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2025\/03\/Lea-Milovich_FlowBeams-Interview-1.jpg\" alt=\"Lea Milovich, CEO and co-founder at FlowBeams\" width=\"1640\" height=\"1230\" srcset=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"m_-7747314565586491705paragraph\"><span class=\"m_-7747314565586491705normaltextrun\">Lea Milovich has over 15 years of experience as a senior <span style=\"color: #1b1b1b;\">business development manager<\/span>, team leader, and startup coach. In 2021, she added \u201cfounder\u201d to her extensive list of professional achievements.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The company she built \u2014 FlowBeams \u2014 began with the idea of applying tattoos without needles. The concept <span style=\"color: #0f0f0f;\">evolved<\/span> into a non-invasive injection system for cosmetic and pharmaceutical treatments.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"m_-7747314565586491705normaltextrun\"><span>Milovich highlights the benefits of being a woman leader.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBeing a female founder means navigating uncharted waters with hidden and declared biases. However, for me it has brought a unique perspective where resilience drives innovation much stronger,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI truly believe that, to unlock the potential of the tech ecosystem, we must actively invest in brave and brilliant women that are willing to risk their time and reputation, not as a gesture, but as a strategic imperative.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>This year\u2019s TNW Conference features a\u00a0Women in Tech ticket. The pass provides 50% off access to the event, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam.<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-main-content\" class=\"c-richText c-richText--large\">\n<p><em>TNW is also hosting a Female Founders\u2019 Brunch on March 15. You can register here to attend.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/category\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/why-we-need-to-support-female-founders\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the run-up to every International Women\u2019s Day (IWD), new data is released on gender inequity in tech. Frequently, the findings are disheartening. This week, one report estimated that female founders in Europe secured just 12% of last year\u2019s total VC funding. Another calculated that overlooking women-led\u00a0deep tech firms over the past decade cost the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":656039,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/img-cdn.tnwcdn.com\/image\/tnw-blurple?filter_last=1&fit=1280%2C640&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn0.tnwcdn.com%2Fwp-content%2Fblogs.dir%2F1%2Ffiles%2F2025%2F03%2FUntitled-design-25.jpg&signature=af443f9e014a5e8ca6ce5b00613f15cc","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-656038","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/656038","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=656038"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/656038\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/656039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=656038"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=656038"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=656038"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}