When gender equality meets innovation

Stable development and international role model

The report shows that almost 40 percent of the project that have been financed in the last five years are led by women. This can be seen as gender equality, but there are exceptions, especially in areas linked to digitalisation and strategic technologies. Startups owned by women are a group that still seeks and is granted funding to a very low extent, and there is a need for clearer data and better methods to identify and follow women-owned startups in particular.

Vinnova's long-term work has received attention both nationally and internationally. Both the State Treasury and the Swedish Gender Equality Agency have highlighted Vinnova as one of the agencies that has come the furthest in gender mainstreaming and where the work has also led to actual changes in operational outcomes.

Vinnova has established itself as an international role model and the agency has, among other things, led the work in an EU project that brought together 22 research and innovation funders from 19 countries. It was about developing and implementing work on gender equality plans (Gender Equality Plans) within the EU's framework program for research and innovation, counteracting gender stereotypes and promoting intersectionality and inclusion in funding processes.

Read Vinnovas Gender Equality Plan for participation in Horisont Europa

More projects include gender perspectives but the quality varies

The report "When gender equality meets innovation" also shows that a significant proportion of the project that receive funding from Vinnova answer "yes" to the question of whether gender perspectives are relevant to their research or innovation. They also believe that these perspectives have contributed to increased understanding of the project's problem formulation, solutions and ideas. The proportion of project that answer "yes" is 68 percent in 2025 and has increased over time. This means that more project have potential to contribute to gender equality in society. At the same time, the analysis shows that the quality of justifications and perspective analyses varies. To achieve full effect, continued support is needed for applicant to formulate thorough and well-founded analyses.

The focus of government missions limits gender equality

Despite great progress, there are clear structural obstacles. For example, most government assignment to Vinnova for new initiatives are aimed at male-dominated industries. This makes it more difficult to strengthen gender equality in the entire innovation system and risks making the innovative power of women-dominated industries invisible. Another example is that the number calls for proposals aimed at civil society, social innovation and the public sector has decreased in the last three years – these are areas with a high proportion of active women.

Research also shows that women are less likely to identify as innovators, not because of lower innovative capacity, but because of how the concept of innovation is traditionally defined. A broader, more gender-aware definition would make more women's innovation work visible.

The role of governance and the need to continue to govern

For Sweden to continue to be a pioneer in gender equality in research and innovation policy, the current direction towards the gender equality policy goals of gender mainstreaming needs to be maintained, says Vinnova. The agency also believes that there should be eligibility requirements for reporting and coordination between national and European levels.

In addition, the instructions to all research and innovation funders should be consistent. This creates predictability for applicant and increases the impact of gender equality work in the research and innovation system.