The European Innovation Council (EIC) Women Leadership Programme is rapidly becoming the catalyst that turns promising women‑led science projects into market‑ready businesses. One of the programme’s most striking success stories is Silvia Scaglione, Research Director at Italy’s National Research Council (CNR) and the Founder & Chief Scientist of React4Life.

Why the programme matters
Silvia joined the 8th cohort of the EIC Women Leadership Programme, a track that targets entrepreneurs who have already built a solid research foundation and now need the strategic scaffolding to scale. For React4Life, the programme delivered three decisive advantages:

• Leadership clarity – Tailored coaching helped Silvia translate her scientific vision into a concrete organisational strategy, defining clear milestones for product development, regulatory milestones and team growth.
• Industry‑ready communication – Workshops on storytelling and stakeholder management equipped her to pitch React4Life’s organ‑on‑chip platform in language that resonates with pharma partners, investors and policy makers.
• Hands‑on growth tools – From financial‑model templates to go‑to‑market roadmaps, the programme gave Silvia a toolbox that shortens the time needed to move from prototype to commercial launch, while keeping the core mission of ethical, human‑relevant drug testing at the forefront.

A programme that’s reshaping Europe’s biotech landscape
Since its pilot launch in 2021, the EIC Women Leadership Programme has supported more than 300 female researchers and entrepreneurs across the EU. By blending one‑to‑one coaching, peer‑mentoring circles, intensive training modules and high‑impact networking events, it aims to:

• • Increase gender parity in science‑based entrepreneurship,
  • Accelerate the commercialisation of breakthrough technologies, and
  • Unlock Europe’s full innovation potential by ensuring that great ideas—no matter who creates them—receive the support needed to flourish.

Next steps
Silvia’s experience underlines why React4Life continues to champion women‑focused innovation. We are already leveraging the connections and insights gained from the EIC cohort to:

• • Expand collaborations with major pharmaceutical groups that are eager for ethically sourced, high‑fidelity pre‑clinical data.
  • Refine our organ‑on‑chip platform to meet emerging regulatory standards for animal‑free testing.
  • Mentor other women scientists within our network, paying forward the guidance we received.

“The EIC Women Leadership Programme gave me the confidence to lead a growing team, the language to speak with industry, and the practical frameworks to turn our technology into a usable product” says Silvia.

React4Life is proud to stand alongside the EIC’s mission of equitable, high‑impact innovation.

Read the full interview on the European Innovation Council site