At IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) – IU Group’s main educational institution – the Women in Tech initiative promotes careers in technology through awareness campaigns, role model storytelling and targeted opportunities for women.

A flagship project of this initiative, FRIDA, developed with #SheTransformsIY and Bitkom, uses short films and dynamic social media campaigns to highlight women’s career paths in frields like AI, cybersecurity and UX design. In 2024, the campaign’s second season received the ‘Women in STEM/MINT’ awards at the Impact of Diversity Awards¹.

To improve access to technical education, IU offers scholarships for women in STEM. Additionally, IU biannually presents the IU Diversity Awards for student research on inclusion. Recent winning topics included dementia care and experiences of seniors in the queer community.

Beyond education, IU Group champions female entrepreneurship through We Female Founders (weFF), a programme offering peer networks, mentorship and investor access. By 2024, it had supported over 210 women. IU Group further expanded its reach through mentoring through the IU Connect platform and partnerships with institutions such as the University of Heidelberg and TU Darmstadt, with more than 600 students participating in its Startup Date events series.

By embedding sustainability, innovation and opportunity into its academic and entrepreneurial initiatives, IU Group is contributing to a more skilled, resilient and forward-looking workforce.

1. STEM project “FRIDA” receives Impact of Diversity Award 2024