Women-Led Science: Empowering Women Researchers to Drive Innovation
Women-Led Science is the Tokarev Foundation's flagship research acceleration programme, designed to support women scientists developing innovative solutions to some of today's most pressing challenges across healthcare, technology, environmental resilience, and artificial intelligence.
Delivered by INSCIENCE and in partnership with STEM is FEM and UN Women in Ukraine, the programme provides women-led research teams with funding, mentorship, visibility, and strategic support to help translate scientific excellence into real-world impact. By investing in researchers at critical stages of their work, the programme helps strengthen Ukraine's scientific ecosystem while increasing the visibility and leadership of women in STEM.
The programme welcomes interdisciplinary research teams working across natural sciences, engineering, medicine, biotechnology, AI, environmental science, and other STEM fields with the potential to deliver meaningful social and economic impact.
How It Works
Women-Led Science combines financial support, expert guidance, and science communication to help research teams advance their work and expand its impact.
Participants receive:
- Competitive research grants to accelerate the development of innovative projects
- Individual mentorship from experts across science, innovation, and entrepreneurship
- Communication support to increase the visibility of research and its societal impact
- Access to educational resources that strengthen research sustainability and real-world application
Connecting Research with Real-World Impact
Women-Led Science goes beyond grant funding by helping bridge the gap between research and application. The programme supports scientists in communicating their work, building partnerships, and connecting with organisations that can help translate research into solutions addressing real societal challenges.
By bringing together researchers, innovation partners, universities, international organisations, and the wider STEM community, the programme creates opportunities for collaboration that extend beyond individual grants—strengthening Ukraine's research ecosystem and increasing the visibility of women leading scientific innovation.
By the Numbers
Why It Matters
Scientific innovation plays a critical role in addressing complex societal challenges and driving long-term economic growth. By supporting women researchers, Women-Led Science helps unlock talent, strengthen research capacity, and increase the diversity of ideas shaping Ukraine's future innovation ecosystem.
As Ukraine invests in recovery and future competitiveness, empowering women scientists is essential to building a knowledge-based economy. Through funding, mentorship, visibility, and cross-sector collaboration, Women-Led Science helps ensure that promising research has the opportunity to evolve into practical solutions with lasting scientific, social, and economic impact.
