The Horizon Europe project BOOST-IN hosted a Webinar on Women Entrepreneurs in Circular Innovation, an event dedicated to highlighting the crucial role of women in driving technological, environmental, and social innovation within the water and circular economy sectors. The webinar was organised by our project coordinator BIOAZUL as part of the activities of the BOOST-IN Gender Committee, the body responsible for ensuring gender mainstreaming across all project actions and communication efforts.

Advancing Gender-Inclusive Innovation in BOOST-IN

BOOST-IN works to accelerate the uptake of Water Circular Economy Solutions (WACES) through knowledge transfer, stakeholder engagement, and regional collaboration. Gender equality plays a strategic role in this mission: the Gender Committee meets regularly to monitor balanced participation, inclusive engagement methods, and fair representation across the project’s Regions of Opportunity. These efforts support BOOST-IN’s broader objectives of transforming the water sector toward circularity, updating governance practices, and promoting entrepreneurship.

Opening the event, Angela Magno (BIOAZUL) underscored that women must be recognized not only as beneficiaries of innovation but as key innovators shaping the transition to sustainable and circular water systems.

Keynote Insights: Women’s Entrepreneurship & Gender in the WEFE Nexus

The webinar featured two keynote speakers offering complementary expertise.

Dr. Katalin Oborni (HÉTFA Research Institute) presented the Erasmus+ project RE-FEM, which develops training tools, policy recommendations, and research to support migrant and disadvantaged women entrepreneurs in building resilient and competitive businesses in the post-COVID landscape. RE-FEM’s training manual, open education platform, and policy study provide a comprehensive foundation for more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Antonia Lorenzo, CEO of BIOAZUL and Coordinator of the PRIMA project BONEX, discussed how gender-sensitive approaches can strengthen the Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus. In BONEX, gender equality is embedded across communication, stakeholder engagement, and policy actions. Under the motto “Women are the Nexus,” the project highlights women’s strategic contributions to resource management and sustainable innovation in Mediterranean regions.

Pitch Session: Female Innovators Leading Circular Solutions

A key part of the webinar showcased five women innovators from the BOOST-IN WACES database, demonstrating how women-led solutions are already advancing circularity and water resilience.

  • Dr. Windi Muziasari (Resistomap, Finland) presented an AI-enabled AMR monitoring platform that transforms complex molecular data into actionable insights, strengthening water biosecurity and early-warning systems.
  • Arjina Sharif (Diehl Metering, Germany) introduced an AI-powered Water Loss Management system capable of detecting leaks as small as 0.2 m³/h and reducing detection efforts by up to 80%, boosting network efficiency and resilience.
  • Dr. Nataliia Tiron-Vorobiova (Odessa Maritime Academy, Ukraine) shared her hybrid Ballast Water Treatment System, combining filtration, ozonation and UV to meet IMO D-2 standards, tested across the Danube and Black Sea regions.
  • Montserrat Batlle Ribas (ADASA Sistemas, Spain) presented aquaBio, an automatic, real-time microbiological monitoring device for E. coli, coliforms, and enterococci, supporting safe reuse and public health protection.
  • Dr. Elisa Michelini (University of Bologna, Italy) showcased a paper-based, bioluminescent biosensor that detects water toxicity within minutes and can be read via a smartphone app.

The webinar is available here.

A Shared Commitment to Inclusive Circular Innovation

The webinar highlighted how empowering women entrepreneurs strengthens the impact, inclusiveness, and adoption of circular water solutions. As BOOST-IN continues its work across six Regions of Opportunity, Spain, Greece, Italy, Germany, France, and Bulgaria, it will integrate the lessons shared during the event to enhance social acceptance, technology transfer, and policy alignment for circular water systems.

By bringing together women innovators, researchers, and practitioners, BOOST-IN reinforces the message that gender-responsive innovation is essential to achieving a more sustainable, resilient, and circular water future for Europe.