Why More Women in Deep-Tech Is Not a Diversity Slogan, but a Growth Strategy
Solvita Kostjukova, Serial Deep-Tech Entrepreneur and Ecosystem Builder, UniLab, Latvia
We are living in changing times, and deep-tech is no longer a niche conversation. It is becoming one of the most important foundations of Europe’s future resilience, competitiveness, and capacity to act.
From health and food systems to materials, energy, biotechnology, and increasingly defence- and resilience-oriented innovation, deep-tech is where science meets strategic reality. At UniLab, we see this very clearly. The world is becoming more volatile, and that means ecosystems like ours must become more focused, more ambitious, and more practical in helping new ventures grow.
My personal view is simple: Europe needs more founders who are able to build from science, not only from trends. And we need many more women among them.
I say this not only as an ecosystem builder, but also as a woman who has spent years building companies in deep-tech myself. I am a serial deep-tech entrepreneur, and through this journey I have learned that innovation ecosystems do not build themselves. They are built by people who step in, take responsibility, create companies, support others, and stay in the field long enough to open doors for the next generation.
That is exactly why increasing the proportion of women in deep-tech matters so much. This is not only about representation. It is about outcomes. When women engage in deep-tech, they bring new scientific perspectives, stronger application thinking, and often a very high level of resilience. In my experience, when women are truly motivated and supported to enter this space, the results are real.
A very good example is SpirulinaNord and its founder Agnese Stunda-Zujeva. For me, this is not only a good startup story. It is also a great example of how biotechnology can become part of real everyday life. We often speak about deep-tech as if it belongs only in labs, research institutes, or investment decks. But the strongest innovations are the ones that reach people and create value in their daily routines.
This is one of the reasons I appreciate SpirulinaNord so much. My family are regular users of spirulina, and I can honestly say that it has become part of our rhythm of recovery, strength, and energy. In a family where life is intense and work in the deep-tech ecosystem is demanding, that matters. For me, this makes the story even more powerful: a science-based product can move from innovation to real personal impact.
At the same time, we in Latvia are entering a very active and exciting period for the ecosystem. In the coming months, Riga will host TechChill 2026 on March 25–27 and Deep Tech Atelier 2026 on May 14–15 — two important opportunities to bring founders, researchers, investors, and ecosystem builders together around what comes next for technology and innovation.
This matters because ecosystems grow through visibility, density, and momentum. Events alone do not create companies, but they do create collisions, confidence, and cooperation. And right now, we need all three.
For me, the next challenge is very clear: we must work more actively on motivating women to enter deep-tech, stay in deep-tech, and scale in deep-tech. Not symbolically. Not occasionally. Systematically.
We need more women to found ventures, commercialize research, lead pilots, raise capital, and shape the strategic sectors that will define Europe’s future.
That is also my personal wish for other women: do not stay only as observers of the ecosystem. Help build it. Start the company. Join the lab. Test the idea. Lead the project. Become visible. When more women choose to do that, we do not only improve balance — we improve the quality and strength of the entire deep-tech ecosystem.
And that is good for Latvia, good for Europe, and good for the future we are all trying to build.
This article was written in collaboration with UniLab. For more information about their work visit UniLab’ website.
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