8th University, Woman and Company Awards Honor Female Talent in Seville
The University, Woman and Business Awards have announced their eighth edition, honoring six prominent female figures and entities in Seville across science, technology, business, culture, and sports. Led by the Social Council of the Pablo de Olavide University in collaboration with the Provincial Council of Seville and the Cajasol Foundation, the honors have drawn twice the number of proposals compared to the previous year, highlighting expanding professional achievements across the region.
Record Participation and Institutional Backing in Seville
Interest in the honors surged, with submissions doubling year-over-year. Iván Pestaña, president of the Social Council of the Pablo de Olavide University, pointed to the exceptional quality of the candidate pool. According to Pestaña, the surge in participation proves that Seville is home to numerous women spearheading high-impact projects and breaking barriers across diverse industries.
STEM and Executive Leadership Honorees
In the STEM category, the Social Council selected Carmen Vargas Macías, a doctor in pharmacy and professor of microbiology.
Meanwhile, the corporate leadership category honors Pilar Manchón, an international expert in artificial intelligence. Having founded Indisys and held leadership roles at Intel, Amazon, and Roku, Manchón currently directs AI research strategy at Google.
Entrepreneurship, Culture, and Athletic Excellence
The entrepreneurial category features a dual recognition. Ana Molina, CEO and co-founder of Odders Lab, shares the honor. Her Seville-based extended reality gaming studio collaborates with tech giants like Meta Quest, Pico, PlayStation VR2, and Steam, generating over five million euros in annual revenue with more than fifty professionals. Alongside Molina stands Rocío Peralta, who launched a flamenca fashion brand in 2009. Peralta expanded a local workshop into an international enterprise that preserves traditional Andalusian crafts like embroidery and pattern-making while generating specialized employment.
In the arts, Pilar Sánchez Luque, known professionally as Pastora Soler, receives the art and culture award. Hailing from Coria del Río, the singer boasts a three-decade career defined by numerous Gold and Platinum records and a deep connection to her Andalusian heritage.
Finally, the sports category recognizes the Club Agrupación Voleibol Esquimo Dos Hermanas. The club secured the 2025-2026 Superliga Femenina title and the 2026 Queen’s Cup, making history as the first Andalusian club to capture the latter trophy. The organization continues to champion women’s sports and youth values training from its base in Dos Hermanas.
As regional institutions continue to elevate these benchmarks of excellence, identifying and supporting female leadership remains central to southern Spain’s long-term economic trajectory.