More than 300 participants gathered at CosmoCaixa Barcelona for STEM Women Congress Global 2026, marking a new chapter in its international journey. With the inaugural High Level STEM Forum, the launch of the Denmark Chapter, groundbreaking conversations on AI ethics and the recognition of outstanding STEM talent, Barcelona became the starting point for a broader global ambition: turning new voices, shared knowledge and evidence into meaningful action.

Barcelona, November 10, 2026. What began as a platform to increase the visibility of women in science and technology is evolving into something bigger: an international movement connecting countries, generations, institutions and industries to reshape who gets to participate in building the future.

The STEM Women Congress Global 2026 brought together more than 300 participants at CosmoCaixa Barcelona, consolidating its position as an international meeting point for professionals, researchers, companies, policymakers, educators and the next generation of STEM talent.

But this year’s edition was about more than bringing people together. It marked a significant step forward in the evolution of STEM Women Congress (SWC), strengthening its commitment to evidence-based action, international collaboration and the inclusion of perspectives that have historically been underrepresented in scientific and technological decision-making.

Hosted by journalists Adam Martín and Cristina Bolivar, the congress featured inspiring talks, interdisciplinary debates, ethical challenges, innovative projects and recognition ceremonies celebrating individuals and organizations transforming the STEM ecosystem.

The opening session brought together Eva Díaz, CEO and Founder of STEM Women Congress; Sandra Ruiz, Director General of Digital Society at the Government of Catalonia; and Maria Eugènia Gay, representing Barcelona City Council.

Their interventions reinforced a shared conviction: building a more inclusive technological future requires not only increasing women’s participation in STEM careers but also raising scientific and technological literacy across society.

A New Chapter: Making Space for the Voices That Have Been Missing

At the heart of this year’s congress was a powerful idea: the future cannot be built from a single perspective.

For STEM Women Congress, diversity is not simply about representation. It is about the quality of the decisions societies make, the technologies they develop and the solutions they create.

Scientific and technological progress becomes stronger when different experiences, cultures, generations and disciplines are part of the conversation.

This vision was reflected throughout the programme, which explored the intersection of neuroscience, leadership, accessibility, mobility, artificial intelligence, engineering and social impact.

Katharine D’Amico, Applied Neuroscience Professor of the Practice and Academic Director of the Executive MBA at UPF Barcelona School of Management, opened the programme with The Neuroscience of Emotions and Decision Making: Why Courage Has to Come Before Confidence.

Her presentation challenged traditional assumptions about confidence and leadership, emphasizing the importance of courage, emotional awareness and decision-making in navigating uncertainty.

The congress also explored how innovation is transforming industries traditionally dominated by men.

Pepi Donoso and Ana López Rodríguez, from Captrain España, shared their experiences in En la vía del cambio, highlighting the importance of creating more diverse opportunities within the railway industry.

Marcela Luz, Head of UX, Service Design & AI Business Experience at GFT, presented InclusiveXperience, demonstrating how accessibility can become a driver of technological transformation.

Meanwhile, Irene Vidal, Design Engineer at HP 3D, presented The Gift of Mobility, showcasing how engineering and technological innovation can improve people’s lives.

The programme also featured Pol Cervera, CEO and Founder of BASE4 Biosciences, presenting BASE 4 WOMEN STEM, and Pilar Moreno, inventor and promoter of HERIX.

Together, these contributions demonstrated the importance of connecting technological innovation with real-world challenges and human needs.

From Impostor to Impact: Rethinking Leadership in STEM

The discussion From Impostor to Impact: Thriving Authentically in STEM brought together three leading professionals to explore the challenges women face throughout their careers.

Moderated by Natalia Olson, Scaleup Director at Plug and Play, the conversation featured Alba Martínez Munuera, Senior Global Program Manager and Leader at CureVac, and María Guillamón, CISO at CaixaBank Tech.

The panel examined how professional environments can encourage women to move beyond self-doubt, embrace authentic leadership and strengthen their influence in scientific and technological organizations.

The congress also highlighted the importance of engaging men as active participants in achieving gender equality.

The STEM Men Allies session, hosted by Mar Porras, Global President of STEM Women Association, and co-hosted by Francisco Javier Costa, Co-Founder of Eyren, featured Jaume Soler, Vice President and Country Chief Executive Iberia at Ingram Micro, and Xavier Ribas, Vice President EMEA Customer Operations and Logistics at HP.

Their participation reinforced the idea that gender equality in STEM cannot be achieved by women alone. It requires shared responsibility, institutional commitment and leadership across the entire ecosystem.

Laura’s Twin: When Artificial Intelligence Enters the Courtroom

One of the most thought-provoking moments of STEM Women Congress Global 2026 was the Ethics Courtroom, an innovative format that transforms complex technological dilemmas into a live ethical trial.

This year’s case, Laura’s Twin, explored the implications of digital twins powered by artificial intelligence, raising questions about identity, autonomy, privacy, human experience and the boundaries of technological representation.

Can a digital twin truly reproduce human judgment? Who owns the knowledge generated from someone’s personal and professional experiences? And what happens when artificial intelligence begins making decisions that could affect a person’s identity or future?

The courtroom was presided over by Ana Oropesa, Data Governance Lead at HP, with a jury composed of Susanna Carmona, General Director at Mútua dels Enginyers; Cristina Cortit, Data & AI IT Manager at Aigües de Barcelona; and Eva Blanco, Senior Advisory Consultant specializing in employee experience, cultural transformation, diversity and social impact.

Two multidisciplinary teams defended opposing perspectives, bringing together expertise from technology, artificial intelligence, business, law and innovation.

Team B was declared the winner of the Ethics Courtroom Award 2026.

The winning team comprised:

• Nerea Solabarrieta, Data Scientist at CaixaBank Tech
• Maja Završnik, CEO of ZORYA AI
• Josep-Ramon Ferrer, Director of Innovation & Business Development at SIRT and President of GrausTIC
• Joan Francesc Pont, Professor of Financial and Tax Law
• Marjorie Grassler, EU Project Manager at Mobile World Capital Barcelona

Beyond the competition itself, the Ethics Courtroom demonstrated the value of bringing different disciplines together to examine the social consequences of emerging technologies.

It also reinforced one of SWC’s central principles: technological innovation must advance alongside ethical reflection and human responsibility.

Celebrating the People and Initiatives Transforming STEM

The congress concluded with the STEM Awards Barcelona 2026, recognizing outstanding contributions to the advancement of women and girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The ceremony was coordinated by Ana Miguel, Awards Secretary, with recognitions presented across five categories.

STEM Awards Barcelona 2026 — Winners

STEM Ecosystem Recognition – Inspiration: Una Ingeniera en Cada Cole

An initiative promoted by María Villarroya Gaudó, Professor at the University of Zaragoza, which brings engineering closer to schoolchildren through female role models and educational activities.

The initiative has reached more than 21,000 primary school students across 139 educational centres, with the participation of more than 500 women engineers and technical professionals.

STEM Ecosystem Recognition – Professional Career: FemCoders Club

Recognized for its contribution to supporting women’s professional development, participation and career opportunities within the technological ecosystem.

Both ecosystem recognitions were presented by Celiana Carreño, CEO and Founder of Pragmia.

STEM Teacher Award: Elena Vercher Ribis

Educational Technology Advisor at CRP del Tarragonès, recognized for her contribution to innovative STEM education and her work demonstrating the impact of educational methodologies on computational thinking, spatial skills and technological confidence.

The award was presented by Laura Salas, coordinator of the Una empresa, una iniciativa working group at STEM Women Association.

STEM Woman Award: Ángela Aragón Ángel

Professor at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and a researcher specializing in satellite navigation.

Her outstanding scientific contributions include the development of the NeQuick-G ionospheric correction algorithm used by the European Galileo satellite navigation system.

The award was presented by Mar Porras, Global President of STEM Women Association.

STEM Company Award: HP — The Gift of Mobility

HP received the STEM Company Award for the project presented by Irene Vidal, highlighting the potential of engineering and innovation to improve mobility and generate meaningful social impact.

Unlike the other categories, the STEM Company Award was decided by the congress audience, recognizing the company’s contribution through a public vote.

The award was presented by Carol Romay, Treasurer of STEM Women Association.

Together, these recognitions celebrated the people, projects and organizations demonstrating that progress in STEM requires inspiration, education, professional opportunities, leadership and measurable impact.

The First High Level STEM Forum: From Shared Evidence to Global Action

The international dimension of this year’s edition began before the congress itself.

On November 9, UPF Barcelona School of Management hosted the inaugural High Level STEM Forum (HLSF), bringing together international perspectives to explore how countries, institutions and organizations can work together to accelerate gender equality in STEM.

The forum represented an important step in SWC’s evolution from an international network of congresses towards a platform capable of generating shared knowledge, policy dialogue and collective action.

The programme brought together perspectives from Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Denmark, Ecuador and Peru, connecting experiences from different educational, social, economic and technological environments.

The assembly also incorporated contributions from international organizations, policymakers, academia, industry representatives, professional associations and young STEM professionals.

The forum was guided by Mar Porras, President of STEM Women Association, and Gaia D’Elia, HLSF Coordinator, using a methodology designed to encourage evidence-based dialogue, stakeholder participation and the development of shared proposals.

The discussions drew on international evidence, including contributions connected to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), alongside insights from the STEM Women Annual Reports (SWAR)developed by Global STEM Women.

These reports contribute to a deeper understanding of the structural, cultural and institutional factors affecting women’s participation and progression in STEM across different countries.

The High Level STEM Forum also gave particular importance to the perspectives of younger generations.

During STEM Women Congress Global 2026, Giulia Di Lollo and Abdul Basheer Arifi presented the Youth Declaration, connecting the reflections of the forum with the voices of young professionals who will help shape future scientific and technological policies.

The Barcelona edition serves as the starting point for an ambitious international roadmap: expanding the HLSF initiative through national-level forums in 2027, with the goal of contributing to a broader global conversation in the context of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum in 2028, the year marking the tenth anniversary of STEM Women Congress.

This is not simply about bringing more countries into the conversation. It is about ensuring that different realities are represented, that evidence informs decisions and that the next generation has a meaningful role in shaping the future.

Denmark Joins the Global STEM Women Congress Network

Another significant milestone was the official announcement of the STEM Women Congress Denmark Chapter, strengthening SWC’s international presence and expanding its network of collaboration across Europe and the Americas.

The announcement brought together Eva Díaz, CEO and Founder of STEM Women Congress; Chiara Chianese, President of the Denmark Chapter; and Aurora Polo Ferrer, Trade Commissioner responsible for Life Sciences at the Consulate of Canada in Barcelona.

The occasion also featured the symbolic handover of the Ladder of Knowledge, representing the transfer of knowledge, shared responsibility and connection between countries.

The initiative reflects the idea that scientific progress and gender equality are not achieved in isolation. They are built through the continuous exchange of experiences, opportunities and knowledge across generations and borders.

With Denmark joining the international network, STEM Women Congress continues to strengthen its global ecosystem and create new opportunities for collaboration between national chapters.

STEM Tour LIFE: Connecting Innovation With Experience

The programme also featured STEM Tour LIFE, an initiative designed to bring science, technology and innovation closer to participants through experiential learning and engagement.

STEM Women Congress extends a special thank-you to Volkswagen for its collaboration with the STEM Tour, helping make this experience possible and supporting new ways of connecting people with technology and its applications.

The initiative reflects SWC’s commitment to taking STEM beyond traditional conference formats and creating meaningful opportunities to experience innovation firsthand.

A Global Movement Powered by Collaboration

STEM Women Congress Global Barcelona 2026 was made possible through the commitment of companies, institutions and organizations that recognize the importance of building a more diverse and inclusive STEM ecosystem.

The organization extends its sincere appreciation to its partners: Captrain, Abertis, GFT Technologies, HP, CaixaBank Tech, Aigües de Barcelona, La Mútua dels Enginyers, MUR&Partners, Oracle, Barcelona Port Terminal G, Ingram Micro and SHEDRIVES.

Special thanks also go to Liceu Politècnic and Plug and Play for their support.

The event was promoted by Global STEM Women (GSW), with the collaboration of 250 Grad@s and STEM Women Association, whose commitment continues to strengthen the international STEM community.

SWC also acknowledges the contribution of its speakers, moderators, jury members, volunteers, ambassadors, national chapter representatives and the many professionals who shared their expertise, experiences and ideas throughout the event.

These partnerships demonstrate a fundamental principle: advancing gender equality in STEM requires sustained collaboration between companies, public institutions, academia and civil society.

From Barcelona to the World: Building What Comes Next

STEM Women Congress Global Barcelona 2026 has marked a new stage in the organization’s international journey.

With more than 300 participants, a growing network of national chapters, innovative formats such as the Ethics Courtroom, the launch of Denmark and the first High Level STEM Forum, the congress demonstrated how knowledge, technology, evidence and international collaboration can come together around a shared purpose.

The challenge ahead goes beyond increasing the number of women entering STEM careers.

It is about transforming the environments in which scientific and technological talent develops, strengthening scientific literacy across society, creating more inclusive decision-making processes and recognizing the importance of experiences and perspectives that have historically been overlooked.

As SWC looks towards 2027 and its tenth anniversary in 2028, the organization continues to advance its mission of connecting talent, research, institutions and communities across borders.

Because the future of science and technology should not be shaped by only a few voices. It should be built through the knowledge, experiences and contributions of all those capable of moving society forward.

From Barcelona to the world, the next chapter of STEM Women Congress begins here.

Contact:

Juan Piedrahita, Content Manager of STEM Women Congress & Global STEM Women

juan@globalstemwomen.org

www.globalstemwomen.org