International Women's Day 2024 – Interview with EIC Board Member Ana Barjasic: “Entrepreneurship is the best way to take control of your destiny”

The European Innovation Council is implementing several programmes to close the gender gap. Through initiatives such as the EIC Women Leadership Programme and WomenTech EU, we support, inspire, and empower female innovators and entrepreneurs leading successful deep-tech projects and companies.

To celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day and its theme #InspireInclusion, we sat down with EIC Board Member and entrepreneur Ana Barjasic to discover her journey.

Ana Barjasic, featured on the top 100 influential women in Startups & VC in Europe by EU Startups, is an entrepreneur, angel investor, policy adviser and ecosystem builder, with over a decade of experience in the European startup ecosystem. Her drive for constant learning took her to different countries and to work with several innovation and investment communities across Europe. This hands-on experience later led Ana to found Connectology, an international boutique agency that develops entrepreneurship, innovation and investment readiness projects and invests into early-stage companies. She is an EIC Board Member, an Obama Leader Europe and an Executive Committee Member (Europe) of Global Entrepreneurship Network, a year-round platform unleashing entrepreneurial ideas in 180 countries. 

Can you share the journey that led you to become the CEO of Connectology and an Executive Committee Member of the Global Entrepreneurship Network Europe?

Thanks to my cultural background and specific life experiences, I learned from an early age to value independence, especially when it comes to time, location and thought. In my view, there is no better way to become independent than through entrepreneurship and taking control over your own destiny. The drive for constant learning took me to different countries, and I was lucky to find myself in the early days of startup and innovation activities in several emerging European markets, collaborating with organisations like the Austrian Angel Investors Association (now Invest Austria), the European Business Angel Network, the Global Entrepreneurship Network and the World Bank, where I gained first-hand insights into ecosystem development across the whole EMEA region. This unique experience was instrumental for me to decide to become an entrepreneur and investor myself.

What motivated you to focus on entrepreneurship, innovation, and investment readiness in the European and EMEA startup ecosystems?

In a single word – curiosity. It is very dynamic and inspiring to be surrounded by brilliant ideas and daring people who challenge the status quo and don’t settle for average. It's also rewarding to contribute to a process that could yield outstandingly innovative results. Even though seemingly intuitive, people often talk about innovation and entrepreneurship as if it is something easy to do, oversimplifying challenges around it. The reality is, very few people are actually able to innovate and have a real impact on the society, and also sustain a financially viable business.

Can you discuss one or two milestone achievements in your career that you are particularly proud of?

Being an EIC Board Member is both a fantastic challenge and significant responsibility, but also an opportunity to act and contribute to the organisation through my knowledge, network and experience. It is particularly interesting for me to work on challenges such as geographical excellence and improving participation of the widening countries in the EIC instruments, as this is something that should concern anyone who is able to see a bigger picture for Europe moving forward. I am proud of the work carried out by the Widening Countries Working Group of the EIC Board so far, especially considering the challenges we faced along the way, and I am looking forward to the positive impact on innovators as a result of our efforts. Other significant milestones include for instance being selected as one of the 35 Obama Leaders in Europe.

As a woman in the tech and investment sectors, what are some of the significant challenges you've faced, and how have you overcome them?

Gender bias is real. And this is not just based on my personal anecdotal experience, but historically, women in technology and science have been interpreted rather as an exception that proves the rule. However, now that we have reached a certain level of collective understanding that this needs to improve, the standards need to be higher. I try to do my work the best I can and refuse to allow any kind of bias to stop me. Given I am frequently the youngest individual in many organisations, I do encounter certain challenges because of this fact. Sometimes I need to work harder and put in extra effort, be better prepared and be louder in order to introduce fresh ideas. Once one is able to show quality, it becomes easier to earn respect, even if people do not like what you’re saying.

Did you have any women mentors or male allies that helped you along your way?

Absolutely. Like any young professional I listened to the advice of my senior colleagues with good intentions. I consider myself fortunate to have some of the most outstanding mentors, both women and men, who guided me on my professional journey. Now I feel a duty to help others as well.

What advice would you give to young women aspiring to become entrepreneurs or investors?

Aspiration alone is not enough, it is vital to have an excellent understanding of how things work and clearly outline the goals to work towards, in terms of the market, competition, financials, and other elements. Constant learning, attentive listening and building a strong network is critical. It is not easy to be an entrepreneur or investor, but secure jobs are also not guaranteed. If things go wrong, don’t get discouraged at the first obstacle.

How do you see gender balance in EU innovation and research? What is the impact of the EIC Women Leadership Programme in your view?

I am optimistic about achieving gender balance in the EU in the upcoming decades. We also observe this in the results of the studies conducted by the Widening Countries Working Group that things are moving in the right direction, as no gender bias was detected in the EIC evaluation processes. There is a lot of work being done on that front, including the initiatives like the EIC Women Leadership Programme, and the market is naturally evolving in that direction for the foreseeable future. EIC WLP is a valuable tool providing specialized knowledge and support while creating an elite network of high-calibre European women innovators.

Reflecting on International Women's Day, what message would you like to share with the global community about the importance of diversity and inclusion in entrepreneurship and innovation?

Women in entrepreneurship are not a new thing, women have been entrepreneurs for already at least 100 years. Every doctor, cook or a teacher was an entrepreneur to a certain extent at the time. Entrepreneurship is an avenue for women to strengthen their economic position in the society. With emerging innovations and their vast possibilities, the market needs all hands on deck to deploy and commercialize research, and this creates an opportunity for women innovators to shine. There are no more excuses for lack of diversity, it has become a market imperative.

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The Call for applications for the EIC Women Leadership Programme (5th cohort) is now open! Check the eligibility criteria and express your interest before 20 March 2024, EOD!