BPW Europe Visits EPO Munich, Advances Gender Parity
Summary
A delegation from Business and Professional Women (BPW) Europe, representing over 17,000 members across 30 countries, visited the European Patent Office headquarters in Munich on 24 April 2026. EPO Vice-President Nellie Simon outlined measures including the Young Professionals Programme, Girl's Day initiative, and a commitment to achieving at least 40% women in the workforce by 2028. Delegates also received a presentation on patent benefits for startups and SMEs, with reference to data showing only 26% of patent applications across EPO's 39 member states name at least one woman inventor.
“Europe cannot remain competitive while leaving half its talent on the sidelines. If we want to solve tomorrow's challenges, women must be at the centre of innovation.”
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What changed
This news article documents a diplomatic engagement between BPW Europe and the European Patent Office. No regulatory obligations or compliance requirements are created. The EPO outlined existing initiatives supporting women in STEM and gender diversity in innovation, including the Young Professionals Programme, Girl's Day, and internal workforce targets. The article also references EPO resources for SMEs and startups accessing the patent system. Affected parties include patent applicants, innovation ecosystem participants, and organisations engaged with EPO outreach programmes.
For patent practitioners and innovation stakeholders, this article signals continued EPO institutional emphasis on diversity and inclusion in patenting. While not creating new rules, it indicates the agency's priorities for engagement and may inform expectations around EPO outreach activities and support programmes for underrepresented groups in innovation.
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Apr 28, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
News
Business and Professional Women Europe visits the EPO
27.04.2026
EPO Vice-President Nellie Simon and Regional Coordinator of BPW Europe Anu Viks with their respective delegations.
On 24 April, a delegation from Business and Professional Women (BPW) Europe visited the European Patent Office (EPO) headquarters in Munich, led by Anu Viks, Regional Coordinator of BPW Europe and Executive member of BPW International. BPW Europe brings together over 17 000 members across 30 countries and has advanced gender equality since 1930. The delegation was welcomed by Nellie Simon, EPO Vice-President Corporate Services.
In her opening remarks, Nellie Simon underlined a shared commitment between the EPO and BPW Europe to shaping a more inclusive innovation ecosystem: “Europe cannot remain competitive while leaving half its talent on the sidelines. If we want to solve tomorrow’s challenges, women must be at the centre of innovation.” The Vice-President outlined several measures aimed at supporting women in STEM and contributing to a more inclusive innovation ecosystem. These included the EPO’s Young Professionals Programme to develop female talent and Girl's Day to inspire the next generation of women to become scientists, as well as the Office’s commitment to having at least 40% women in its workforce by 2028.
In a video interview recorded after the meeting, Regional Coordinator of BPW Europe and Executive member of BPW International Anu Viks shared further insights into the network’s mission and the breadth of its activities. She described how BPW combines advocacy, education and empowerment with concrete action, from promoting role models and breaking down stereotypes at an early age to mentoring, entrepreneurship support and policy engagement.
Video interview with BPW Europe Coordinator Anu Viks
Sharing insights and best practices to drive change, in particular among the younger generation
Collecting insights on where gaps persist and sharing them with European policymakers and innovation stakeholders is an essential step in guiding the allocation of resources and driving meaningful change. The value of this approach was illustrated by an Observatory presentation on its recently published study “Advancing women in STEM”, which tracks the career progression of women across patenting, research and innovation.
Inspiring more girls and women to pursue careers in science, technology and innovation is another key area of focus. The meeting took place during the same week as Girls’ Day, an annual EPO-supported initiative encouraging girls to explore careers in science and technology. Delegates learned more of the EPO’s efforts to promote diverse role models through the Young Inventors Prize, the European Inventor Award and the associated European Inventor Network.
Supporting start-ups and SMEs
Delegates also received a presentation on the benefits of patents for startups and SMEs, as well as an overview of the EPO’s outreach activities tailored to their needs. Particular attention was given to support measures designed to broaden access to the patent system, especially for smaller businesses and underrepresented groups. This focus is important given that, across the EPO’s 39 member states, only 26% of patent applications name at least one-woman inventor. In response, resources such as the SME user engagement programme, the fee reduction programme and the fee assistant calculator help lower the barriers and make patent protection more accessible.
Further information
BPW Europe EPO Observatory on Patents and Technology Advancing Women in STEM Young Inventors Prize European Inventor Award Startups and SMEs
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