Amplifying women-led startups not only fuels innovation but opens doors for a more inclusive, dynamic, and equitable tech future. Today we highlight four European startups founded by women to look out for in 2024.
AgStacked co-founder Emily Harayda. Photo credit: AgStacked
AgStacked - Tech for Food
Do you eat five fruits and vegetables a day? While that’s the recommended daily amount from the World Health Organization, food scarcity in many areas around the world limits people’s access to fresh produce and healthy food.
Emily Harayda, along with co-founder Jonathan Mitnikz, are attacking the source of the problem – fresh produce supply chains. Together they brought to life AgStacked.
Founded in 2022, the Amsterdam-based startup’s platform is designed to provide quality transparency and reduce food waste via insights into the supply chain. This helps get food from farm to table faster, an important aspect when produce has such a short shelf life.
In July 2023, the startup raised funds in a deal headed by APX Axel Springer Porsche which will be used to expand AgStack’s business to the Dutch and German markets.
We’ll be keeping an eye on this Dutch startup as AgStacked continues fighting food scarcity in 2024.
Heart Aerospace co-founders Klara Forslund and Anders Forslund. Photo credit: Patrik Olsson
Heart Aerospace - Revolutionizing Aviation
If you’ve ever felt “flygskam”, Swedish for feeling ashamed of flying because of its environmental impacts, you’ll be glad to learn about a Swedish startup set to transform aviation.
Heart Aerospace, co-founded by the visionary team of Klara Forslund and Anders Forslund, is developing electric regional aircraft, promising a cleaner and more sustainable future for air travel. The company's aircraft has zero operational emissions and a low infrastructure footprint of all types of regional transport, connecting the large network of small airports adjacent to city centers.
Since its creation in 2018, the startup has amassed several investments from the likes of Bill Gates, United Airlines, and Air Canada, securing vital funding to drive the development of its planes.
As Heart Aerospace continues to soar to new heights, the visionary approach of its founders is sure to propel aviation toward a greener and more innovative future – and we can hopefully say adjö to flightshame.
Carbon Equity co-founders Lara Koole, Liza Rubinstein, Jaqueline van den Ende, & Jeff Gomez. Photo credit: tech.eu
Carbon Equity - Leading the Charge for Sustainable Investments
When it comes to investing in climate change solutions, it’s hard to know where to begin. Carbon Equity aims to change this.
Jacqueline van den Ende, Lara Koole, Jeff Gomez, and Liza Rubinstein, the founders of Carbon Equity, are helping make investors’ money matter more while fueling the climate transition.
Through diversified portfolios of climate impact companies selected by Carbon Equity’s experts, investors can invest with a minimum of as low as €100,000. These investments then help grow important solutions for the climate transition.
In October 2023, the team raised a Series A bringing their total funding up to €9 million. The capital will be used to scale up international expansion, grow distribution through neo-banks and wealth management platforms, and lower investment minimums to €25,000, making climate investing more accessible to a larger public.
Ecoroots mycelium packaging. Photo credit: Ecoroots
Ecoroots - Mushroom Packaging Solutions
The world has a plastic problem. Mushrooms could be the solution.
With a background in food science and chemistry and a commitment to creating a better future for our planet, Lavanya Bhandari created Ecoroots, a startup that uses mycelium from mushrooms to create packaging materials.
The solution consists of biodegradable and compostable materials, which can be safely disposed of at the end of their life cycle. This offers a better alternative to traditional packaging materials like plastic or polystyrene.
The Ireland-based startup was valued at €1.73 million after its first fundraising round last June – an enormous estimation given the startup was just barely a year old. With an impressive valuation following its initial fundraising round, Ecoroot's story signifies a promising shift towards sustainable packaging.
Women-Led Ventures
Each with a distinct focus, these four startups showcase the profound impact women founders have in shaping a more sustainable, interconnected, and forward-thinking future. As we eagerly anticipate their trajectories, we hope to see these women and like-minded entrepreneurs join us this May at VivaTech to take the discussion even further!