The Madrid City Council has recognised 14 business projects led by women in the XVI edition of the 2026 Entrepreneur Awards, with a total prize fund of €100,000. Mekreo Engineering, Lifesome Therapeutics, and Connect by Circular-Lab are the three winners.
The Madrid City Council announced this Wednesday the XVI edition of the 2026 Entrepreneur Awards, a competition promoted by Madrid Emprende that distributes €100,000 among 14 business projects led by women. The call has distinguished three winners and 11 runners-up from the 174 applications submitted and the 50 finalists evaluated by a specialised jury, according to epe.es.
The first prize, worth €20,000, has gone to Mekreo Engineering for 'Mekreo Polymer', a biomaterials project that replaces conventional plastics with sustainable alternatives within the circular economy. The second award, of €15,000, has been given to Lifesome Therapeutics for 'OHM Line', a technology based on lipid nanoparticles with therapeutic activity to treat cancer.
The third prize, worth €10,000, has been awarded to Connect by Circular-Lab for a technological platform using artificial intelligence that analyses diagnostic data and assists in clinical decision-making. Additionally, the council has granted 11 runners-up prizes of €5,000 each in categories such as health, technology, environment, food, or retail.
The Councillor for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Ángel Niño, highlighted the role of the awards in the entrepreneurial ecosystem:
Since its creation in 2011, 2,184 women entrepreneurs have applied and 98 women-led companies have been recognised
Niño also noted that these awards aim to promote projects that are "original, creative, and innovative" led by women.
Among the runners-up, the recognition for the Madrid Entrepreneur has been awarded to María Pilar Rubio Bueno for 'Aerbiomed', a project to combat the effects of obstructive sleep apnea. The remaining distinctions are distributed among initiatives from municipal entrepreneurship centres and other sectors.
The awards are part of the Madrid Emprende strategy to highlight female talent in the business and technology sectors. The awarded projects will receive the corresponding financial support, which totals €100,000.
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