Prepared by Susana Lau, IEEE Entrepreneurship Vice-Chair for Regional Engagement April 2026
Women in STEM are driving research, solving complex technical problems, and leading innovation across sectors. Yet many still face barriers when moving from technical expertise to entrepreneurship, whether that means limited access to mentors, investor networks, commercialization support, or local innovation communities.
That is where IEEE Entrepreneurship can make a meaningful difference. Through its global programs, partnerships, and resources, IEEE Entrepreneurship aims to support entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey by providing networking, skill-building, access to resources, and visibility pathways that help more women in STEM move from ideas to real-world impact.
Programs That Support the Entrepreneurial Journey
IEEE Entrepreneurship’s mission is to deliver value at every stage of the entrepreneurial journey to accelerate the commercialization of technologies that improve lives and advance entrepreneurship-led global development.
That mission is especially relevant for women in STEM. Many women engineers, researchers, and technologists already have the technical foundation needed to build startups or innovation-led initiatives. What is often harder to access is the support structure around that technical work: guidance on market validation, exposure to investors, stronger professional networks, and encouragement to step into founder or ecosystem leadership roles.
IEEE Entrepreneurship provides a portfolio of programs and regional engagement opportunities that include ENT Workshops, an annual Impact Award, Mentor Pipeline, Venture Summits, Regional Ambassador Programs, and Local Groups. Rather than treating entrepreneurship as a one-time event, the model supports learning, recognition, networking, and community-building over time.
ENT Workshops Build Venture Skills for Women in STEM
One of the ways IEEE Entrepreneurship can support women in STEM is through entrepreneurship education. ENT Workshops are designed to deliver entrepreneurship skill-building to academic technologists, particularly in underdeveloped innovation ecosystems. ENT 101 covers fundamentals over the course of three days, while ENT 102 builds on that foundation with more advanced topics.
This year’s workshops are planned for Argentina on May 13–15 and Dayton, Ohio on June 1–3, with additional 1-2 sessions to be announced.
For women in STEM, these workshops help bridge the gap between technical expertise and entrepreneurship. They build confidence in commercialization, startup thinking, and communicating the value of research.
Mentor Pipeline Strengthens Mentorship and Networks
Mentorship remains one of the most important ingredients in entrepreneurial growth, especially for first-time founders and emerging innovators. IEEE Entrepreneurship’s Mentor Pipeline connects IEEE experts with incubators, accelerators, and venture development leaders serving tech entrepreneurs worldwide, with the aim of matching expertise to identified support gaps.
This creates two benefits for women in STEM: better access to experienced mentors, and more opportunities for established women leaders to guide the next generation. As more women serve as mentors, advisors, and ecosystem builders, entrepreneurship becomes more inclusive in meaningful ways.
Venture Summits Create Access to Networks and Opportunity
IEEE Entrepreneurship’s Venture Summits are flagship in-person events that connect startups who are ready with investors and service providers. For women founders in technical fields, these events can be especially valuable, since access to the right networks and conversations can be just as important as having a strong idea.
This year’s Venture Summit series began in Silicon Valley on April 16–17 and continues with upcoming events in Boston on June 10–11 and Toronto on October 20–21, with an additional Quantum Tech event still to be announced.
The Impact Award Raises Visibility for Innovators
The Annual Impact Award recognizes an entrepreneur each year for significant impact through the commercialization of technology and includes a $10,000 USD prize and commemorative plaque. Beyond celebrating success, awards like this help highlight the kinds of leadership and innovation that matter. For women in STEM, that visibility can inspire more founders to pursue commercialization, seek recognition, and see their work as worthy of a global platform.
Know an innovator creating meaningful impact through technology? Nominate them for the IEEE Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame and help celebrate leaders who are advancing innovation in their communities and beyond.
Local Groups Strengthen Inclusive Innovation Communities
While global programs matter, local access often determines whether people participate at all. IEEE Entrepreneurship’s Local Groups are designed as section-based hubs for innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurial learning. Local Groups can organize startup meetups, pitch competitions, founder talks, mentorship sessions, hackathons, collaborations with accelerators, and industry-academia roundtables. These are exactly the kinds of local, repeatable activities that can lower the barrier to participation for women in STEM who may be balancing academic work, professional responsibilities, or limited access to established startup ecosystems.
An entrepreneurship local group can begin with just two IEEE members in good standing, including one voting member, plus a petition to the parent Section or Region. This year, we are providing seed funding of $500 USD for the first 15 approved Local Groups that meet eligibility and planning requirements. For WIE leaders, this creates a concrete pathway. Instead of waiting for entrepreneurship support to appear elsewhere, women in IEEE can help build it locally, in ways that reflect their communities’ needs and strengths.
Why This Matters for the Future of STEM Leadership
IEEE Entrepreneurship’s programs show that entrepreneurship is not only about founding a company. It is also about learning how innovation reaches society, building networks that help ideas grow, mentoring others, and creating communities where more people can participate meaningfully.
About IEEE Entrepreneurship
IEEE Entrepreneurship is a global program that empowers entrepreneurs by cultivating innovation ecosystems and delivering essential opportunities for networking, skill-building, resource access, and visibility. Through our dynamic programs, strategic partnerships, and curated resources, we achieve our mission: to deliver value at every stage of the entrepreneurial journey to accelerate the commercialization of technologies that improve lives and advance entrepreneurship-led global development. Backed by IEEE’s worldwide network of engineers, scientists, technical communities, and professional resources, it connects founders with the skills, networks, and visibility needed to turn ideas into real-world impact.
More info: IEEE Entrepreneurship
