Beyond Innovation: The Women Behind Technology at STEM Women Congress 2026

What is STEM Women Congress?

STEM Women Congress is the main event of Global STEM WOMEN, an initiative founded in Barcelona in 2019 to promote equal opportunities and gender diversity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). It has since grown into a network of national chapters across Europe and Latin America. The 2026 global edition was held at CosmoCaixa, Barcelona's science museum, and brought together professionals, researchers and companies to discuss the role of women in science, technology and innovation.

Why Ecler took part

Ecler designs and manufactures professional audio and video solutions in Barcelona. Our work depends on engineers, developers, product specialists and technical support teams, and we believe that supporting talent, sharing knowledge and creating opportunities for growth are what make progress last.

Three takeaways from the congress

From impostor to impact. Several speakers addressed self-doubt and impostor syndrome. The message was practical: accept challenges before feeling fully ready, and treat failure as part of professional and personal growth rather than as proof of inadequacy.

Innovation with purpose: the HERIX project. Pilar Moreno Carrillo, a nurse from Barcelona, presented HERIX, a silicone bracelet for children with food allergies. It combines allergen icons with a QR code that links to a short video explaining how to recognise a severe allergic reaction and how to use an adrenaline auto-injector. The idea came from her own experience as a mother. HERIX won the Enfermería Emprende award, and its first 600 prototypes include interchangeable clips for seven common food allergens. The lesson for any technical team: the technology involved is simple; the value lies in knowing exactly who needs the information, and when.

Ethics in artificial intelligence. A discussion on the limits of AI, digital identity and the responsibilities that come with technological progress. It left us with a question we cannot hand over to the technology itself: not only what we can build, but what we should build, for whom, and with what consequences. For companies that design connected products, data, identity and accountability are design decisions with real effects on people, and they deserve the same care as any technical specification.

People, ideas and values

We came back from CosmoCaixa with more than notes. We came back with stories: of women who doubted themselves and kept going, of a mother who turned a frightening moment into a way to protect other children, and of professionals who asked difficult questions about the technology we all help to build.

These conversations reinforced a shared conviction: innovation is not only about technology, but also about the people, ideas and values behind it. Ability does not depend on gender; access to opportunities still too often does. Closing that gap is a responsibility every technology company shares, including ours.

Thank you

Events like this exist because people choose to share their time, their knowledge and, sometimes, their own story.

Thank you to Eva Díaz Claver, President of Global STEM WOMEN, and to her whole team, for creating a space where these conversations can happen and for years of work opening doors within the STEM community.

Thank you to Pilar Moreno Carrillo for sharing the story behind HERIX so honestly, and to every speaker who talked openly about doubt, failure and responsibility.

And thank you to Maria Martori, Alexandra Lozano, Anna Pachecho and Anna Cantón for representing Ecler with curiosity and generosity, and for bringing everything they heard back to the rest of the team. We are proud of you.

We want this to be the start of a lasting relationship with Women in STEM, and to explore concrete ways of working together. We want to be part of that future. This is just the beginning.

FAQ

When and where did STEM Women Congress 2026 take place? On 10 November 2026 at CosmoCaixa, the science museum in Barcelona, coinciding with World Science Day for Peace and Development.

What is Global STEM WOMEN? An initiative founded in Barcelona in 2019 to increase equal opportunities and gender diversity in STEM fields. It organises the STEM Women Congress and has national chapters in several countries.

What is World Science Day for Peace and Development? A UNESCO international day held every 10 November to highlight the role of science in society and the importance of public engagement with scientific issues.

What is HERIX? A silicone bracelet for children with food allergies, created by Barcelona nurse Pilar Moreno Carrillo. It shows allergen icons and includes a QR code linking to a video on how to act during a severe allergic reaction.