Douglas and Huge Thing are joining forces to support female founders across CEE. The Female Fundraising Academy is back with a new edition

Women in startups. Ambition is growing faster than access to capital
While female entrepreneurship across Europe continues to grow rapidly, access to funding remains uneven. According to research commissioned by the European Commission and the European Innovation Council, between 2020 and 2025 startups with at least one female founder secured only 12% of all VC capital raised in the European Union . In the case of all-female founding teams, the share is even lower.

Female founders still raise investment rounds less frequently, and their startups are less likely to become part of VC portfolios. This is not due to a lack of ambition or competence, but rather limited access to networks, fundraising know-how, and direct relationships with investors. These are exactly the barriers Female Fundraising Academy aims to address - not through inspiration alone, but through practical skills and hands-on preparation for real fundraising conversations.

Fundraising is not theory. It is a process you can prepare for
Female Fundraising Academy is not another general “women in business” initiative. It was designed specifically for female founders from the CEE region building early-stage technology startups. The program focuses on one clear objective: preparing participants to successfully raise capital.

The initiative includes hands-on workshops focused on fundraising strategy, access to mentors and industry experts, as well as direct VC speed-dating sessions. This is not about inspirational talks or theoretical frameworks, but practical work on participants’ own startups and real preparation for investor conversations.

The first edition of the program, delivered by Huge Thing with the support of Visa Foundation between 2024 and 2025, gathered 70 participants from Poland and Ukraine. Founders worked on fundraising strategies, startup valuation workshops, investor negotiation preparation, and refining their business models. As a result, startups led by participants recorded an average 85% increase in monthly revenues.

"Female Fundraising Academy was created for founders building ambitious, scalable projects who want to approach fundraising consciously and strategically. This is not only about business development knowledge, but about strengthening fundraising capabilities and improving access to investors. In this edition, through a dedicated track, we will also provide additional support for teams working on beauty-related solutions, - says Monika Synoradzka, CEO of Huge Thing."

Huge Thing and Douglas. Combining technological and industry expertise
This year’s edition marks a new chapter in supporting female entrepreneurship across Central and Eastern Europe. Huge Thing is joining forces with Douglas - one of Europe’s largest beauty retailers, operating in more than 20 countries.

But the partnership is more than a branding exercise. Douglas will help shape the program’s educational track and give participants direct access to industry experts. For startups building at the intersection of technology and beauty, the collaboration offers a rare opportunity to test their products, refine their business models and receive feedback from one of the sector’s major players.

Applications are now open
Applications for Female Fundraising Academy are now open and will remain available until June 25. The program is aimed at women building scalable technology startups, particularly in the beauty sector and related industries. Participants should be at the pre-seed or seed stage and either preparing for a funding round or already in the process of raising capital. The initiative covers the entire Central and Eastern European region.

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