GENDEX aims to create a comprehensive and actionable index for the European innovation landscape, addressing significant gender disparities in leadership positions and investment sectors across the Deep Tech ecosystem.
By providing detailed data on gender diversity and its impact on financial and operational performance, GENDEX seeks to empower start-ups, scale-ups, corporates, investors, and policymakers to make informed decisions that enhance diversity and inclusion within their organizations and investments. The project involves developing and implementing the Gender & Diversity Index, utilizing existing data, conducting new research, and engaging with a wide range of stakeholders. This includes synthesizing available information on gender diversity, identifying gaps, and collecting new data through surveys and interviews.
Additionally, GENDEX will create tools such as an interactive dashboard and a self-assessment widget to facilitate easy access and practical application of the index. Experts will be engaged for validation, and findings will be disseminated through targeted communication strategies.
Ultimately, the project seeks to close the gender gap, enhance the availability of diverse talent, and support the growth and success of underfunded women-led companies, thereby fostering a more inclusive and prosperous European economy.
The key actions of GENDEX include:
• Develop a pilot innovation gender & diversity index based on agreed definitions and indicators that can be applied to start-ups/ SMEs and to innovation investment actors in the EU.
• Identify relevant sources of reliable and robust data.
• Develop methodologies and conduct data collection in order to fill data gaps.
• Implement and produce a first pilot gender & diversity index using available data from different sources as well as additional data collection as appropriate.
• Provide recommendations for further development and implementation of an innovation gender and diversity index and additional measures needed to improve data availability and benchmarking, such as voluntary reporting standards by start-ups, scale-ups and investment funds.
• Disseminate and promote the results of the project to investors, policy makers and the wider innovation ecosystem.