In 2025, the landscape of venture funding for female-founded startups in Europe and the UK remains a critical area of focus. Despite growing recognition of the economic potential within women-led businesses, securing equitable investment remains a persistent challenge. While there has been a notable increase in the initiatives aimed at bridging the funding gap, the journey toward true parity is ongoing.
The comparison between funding in men and female-founded startups reveals a stark imbalance. In 2024, exclusively female-founded teams received a disproportionately small slice of venture capital, with some reports indicating that only 2-3% of total VC funding went to these companies. In contrast, all-male founding teams continue to attract the vast majority of investment. It was stated that female-founded companies often receive lower valuations at similar stages compared to their male counterparts.
Despite these ongoing challenges, there are positive developments to celebrate. In a promising sign of activity and growth, female-led startups in Europe and the UK collectively raised nearly €168 million last week. Here is a list of these companies:
GlycoEra (Switzerland)
Founder/s: Amir Faridmoayer, Dominique Sirena, Veronica Gambillara Fonck
Founded year: 2020
Recent funding: $130M
Biotech startup GlycoEra pioneers a new class of therapies called extracellular protein degraders. By selectively targeting proteins outside cells, their technology offers a novel therapeutic modality, especially for hard-to-treat autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. Their proprietary platform leverages engineered glycoproteins to mediate selective degradation, potentially transforming disease-modifying treatments. With a strong scientific foundation and precision biology approach, GlycoEra is carving out a distinctive position in next-gen biologics.
GlycoEra recently landed an oversubscribed $130 million in Series B financing. The funding will be used to advance their lead IgG4-targeted protein degrader through clinical data in patients, bring a second program to the clinic, and further develop their pipeline of precision extracellular degraders in immunology and other indications. The round saw participation from various investors, including Novo Holdings, along with participation from Catalio Capital Management, LifeArc Ventures, and QIA, as well as existing investors Sofinnova Partners, 5AM Ventures, Roche Ventures, and Bristol Myers Squibb. Additional new investors who joined the syndicate include Agent Capital, MP Healthcare Venture Management (a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma), and Sixty Degree Capital.
Volare (Finland)
Founder/s: Tuure Parviainen, Matti Tähtinen
Founded year: 2014
Recent funding: €26M
An innovative Finnish startup Volare transforms food industry waste into high-value insect protein and lipid ingredients. Utilising black soldier fly larvae, Volare’s proprietary bioconversion technology efficiently processes organic waste into sustainable protein suitable for animal feed and pet food. Their facility is recognised as the world’s most energy-efficient plant for this process, significantly reducing the carbon footprint associated with traditional protein production. Their approach addresses both food waste reduction and the growing demand for sustainable protein sources.
Volare recently raised €26 million in a funding round to enable the company to build Volare 01, a facility projected to be the world’s most energy-efficient protein production plant. Investors in this round include Maki.vc, Firstminute Capital, Springvest, Finnerva, Norion Bank, and the state-owned Finnish Climate Fund.
CurifyLabs (Finland)
Founder/s: Niklas Sandler, Charlotta Topelius
Founded year: 2021
Recent funding: €6.7M
Founded by a husband-wife duo, CurifyLabs is revolutionising personalised medicine by automating the compounding process in pharmacies. Their innovative solution, the CurifyLabs Pharma Printer, is a 3D printing system designed to produce individualised drug dosages tailored to specific patient needs. This technology enables pharmacies to create personalised medications on-demand, improving treatment efficacy and patient compliance, particularly for those with unique dosage requirements or allergies.
Last week, CurifyLabs raised €6.7 million in a funding round from Business Finland aimed at accelerating the deployment of their 3D printing technology across European pharmacies. The investment was led by healthtech-focused venture capital firms, underscoring the potential of CurifyLabs’ solution to transform pharmaceutical care. The capital will support the company’s expansion efforts and further development of their technology platform.
Hormona (UK)
Founder/s: Karolina Löfqvist, Jasmine Tagesson
Founded year: 2020
Recent funding: $6.7M
Hormona, a UK-based femtech startup, is dedicated to empowering women through advanced hormone health tracking. Their AI-driven platform offers personalised insights into hormonal fluctuations, aiding women in understanding their bodies and managing symptoms related to hormonal imbalances. By integrating data analytics and machine learning, the company provides tailored recommendations, enhancing women’s health and well-being.
Last week, Hormona secured $6.7 million in funding from Voima Ventures, SuperNode Global VC, DLF Ventures, Nascent Invest, and Techstars. It will enhance their AI capabilities and expand their user base. The investment will facilitate the development of new features and support Hormona’s mission to revolutionise women’s health tracking.
kyron.bio (France)
Founder/s: Emilia McLaughlin, Vaibhav Longani
Founded year: 2022
Recent funding: €5.5M
French biotech company kyron.bio is focused on rewriting the rules for biologic drugs through glycan engineering. Their unique platform allows for comprehensive control over N-glycosylation, the cellular mechanism that adds sugar molecules (glycans) to the surface of therapeutics. By precisely controlling glycosylation patterns, kyron.bio aims to improve the safety and efficacy of antibody therapies, preventing unwanted immune responses and enhancing therapeutic performance, thereby opening new treatment avenues for patients. Their breakthrough enables the precise use of specific glycans to prevent unwanted immune attacks, a significant leap from current inconsistent biomanufacturing processes.
Recently, the company snapped €5.5 million in funding led by HCVC and included participation from Verve Ventures, Entrepreneurs First, Saras Capital, and several angel investors. This investment will be used to accelerate the advancement of Kyron.Bio’s proprietary glycan-engineering platform, expand its team, and fuel preclinical studies.
Ankar (UK)
Founder/s: Tamar Gomez, Wiem Gharbi
Founded year: 2024
Recent funding: £3M
UK-based startup Ankar leverages AI agents to transform how innovators and companies worldwide capture, protect and monetise their intellectual property (IP). Founded by former Palantir employees, the company aims to become the “operating system of innovation” by streamlining the entire IP lifecycle. The platform leverages AI agents trained on scientific and legal data to identify patent gaps, assess originality, draft patent submissions, detect infringements, and uncover licensing opportunities. Their approach addresses the inefficiencies and complexities traditionally associated with IP management, enabling faster and more effective innovation processes.
Recently, Ankar picked up a £3 million seed funding round led by Index Ventures, with participation from Daphni, Motier Ventures, Booom, Puzzle Ventures, and notable angel investors such as Olivier Pomel (CEO of Datadog) and Julien Chaumond (CTO of Hugging Face). The investment will be used to scale Ankar’s team of AI, engineering, and IP experts, enhance the platform’s capabilities, and expand its global customer base.
Alba Health (Germany)
Founder/s: Eleonara Cavani
Founded year: 2022
Recent funding: $2.5M
Healthtech startup Alba Health focuses on improving child gut health through personalised nutrition plans. Their platform combines microbiome testing with tailored dietary recommendations, aiming to address early childhood gut development as a predictor of future allergy risks. Alba’s approach is grounded in extensive scientific research and aims to support family well-being through informed dietary choices.
In May 2025, Alba Health snapped $2.5 million in seed funding to advance their personalised nutrition platform. The funding round was led by Unconventional Ventures and included contributions from Exceptional Ventures, Voima Ventures, Noaber, Bust, and Petteri Lahtela, founder of Oura Ring. The investment will be used to scale their digital platform, expand clinical research, and broaden outreach across Europe and the UK.
RNatives (Finland)
Founder/s: Tiia Turunen, Mikko Turunen
Founded year: 2020
Recent funding: €1.4M
RNatives is a Finnish startup specialising in the development of RNA-based therapeutics. Their focus is on creating innovative treatments for various cardiovascular diseases by leveraging RNA technology to regulate gene expression. RNatives’ approach aims to provide targeted and effective therapies with the potential for significant impact in the field of personalised medicine.
Last week, RNatives secured €1.4 million in seed financing from Business Finland, Force10 Networks, and Nordic Science Investments to advance their research and development efforts. The funding will support the progression of their RNA-based therapeutic candidates through preclinical studies and facilitate collaborations with research institutions. This investment reflects growing interest in RNA technologies and their potential to transform disease treatment.
auditstage (Belgium)
Founder/s: Natalia Khamraeva
Founded year: 2024
Recent funding: €750K
A Belgian startup in this list is auditstage offering AI-powered solutions for auditing and financial analysis. Their platform automates complex auditing processes, enhancing accuracy and efficiency for financial institutions and corporations. By integrating advanced analytics and machine learning, auditstage aims to modernise traditional auditing practices and provide real-time insights into financial data.
In May 2025, auditstage raised €750K in pre-seed funding from Smartfin to develop their AI-driven auditing platform. The investment will be used to refine their technology, expand their team, and initiate pilot programs with early adopters. This funding marks a significant step in auditstage’s mission to transform the auditing industry through technological innovation.
ZOEX Power (UK)
Founder/s: Aslihan Penley
Founded year: 2020
Recent funding: $700K
ZOEX Power is the UK’s only female-founded wave energy company, dedicated to harnessing ocean waves to generate renewable electricity. Their innovative technology captures the kinetic energy of waves, converting it into a sustainable power source. ZOEX Power’s mission is to contribute to the global transition towards clean energy by providing a reliable and environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels.
Last week, ZOEX Power secured $700K in funding from Equity Gap, The University of Strathclyde and Scottish Enterprise. Innovate UK also made a contribution of $265K. The investment will support the construction of prototypes, testing in real-world marine environments, and the pursuit of regulatory approvals. This funding represents a significant milestone in ZOEX Power’s efforts to bring wave energy into the mainstream renewable energy sector.
POSfinance (Latvia)
Founder/s: Inga Pinka, Santa Saulina
Founded year: 2024
Recent funding: €275K
Latvian fintech POSfinance is focused on providing point-of-sale financing solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Their platform offers flexible financing options, enabling businesses to manage cash flow effectively and invest in growth opportunities. By leveraging technology, POSfinance aims to simplify access to capital for SMEs, fostering economic development.
Recently, POSfinance raised €275K in pre-seed funding to develop its fintech platform. The investment will be used to enhance their technology infrastructure, expand their team, and initiate pilot programs with local businesses. This funding lays the groundwork for POSfinance to support SMEs in Latvia and potentially expand to other markets.
Dencanto Community (Spain)
Founder/s: Jacob San Miguel, Maria Lepetiukhina
Founded year: 2011
Recent funding: €430K
Dencanto Community is an edtech startup transforming the way international students access educational experiences in Spain. Its digital platform streamlines the entire process of discovering, comparing, and booking academic programs from Spanish language courses to postgraduate degrees and cultural immersions. It also offers complementary services like accommodation and local activities. What sets Dencanto apart is its end-to-end technology, which enhances transparency, personalisation, and operational efficiency for students, language schools, and global agents alike. The platform serves as a bridge between Spain’s diverse educational offerings and international demand, making study abroad more accessible and manageable for users worldwide.
In May 2025, Dencanto Community closed its first funding round at €240K, led by Eoniq, with participation from various family offices and Fundalogy, the foundation of Unicaja. Additionally, the company secured €190,000 through an Enisa loan, bringing total financing to €430,000. This capital will accelerate the development of Dencanto’s technology platform and support the scaling of its business model across new markets and verticals.
