Dr. Anne Berends, founder, CEO and CTO of SunLED Life Science, has been named to the Inc. Female Founders 500 of 2026, an annual list compiled for the ninth time this year by Inc., the leading American business media platform for entrepreneurs and business leaders.
The list comprises 500 female founders from public and private companies and non-profit organisations. Notable this year is that for the first time, founders and co-founders from outside the United States have been included. Inc.’s editorial team evaluates applications through a multi-round selection process, assessing both quantitative criteria, such as revenue growth, funding and reach, and qualitative factors including innovation, social impact and brand momentum.
Female entrepreneurship
The list is internationally regarded as one of the most authoritative recognitions of female entrepreneurship. Previous honourees include Billie Jean King, Sallie Krawcheck, Serena Williams and Emma Grede. The 500 honourees on the 2026 list collectively generated approximately $12.3 billion in revenue in 2025 and have received $12.2 billion in funding to date.
Patented near-infrared (NIR) LED technology
SunLED Life Science develops lighting solutions that bring the health benefits of sunlight indoors, using patented near-infrared (NIR) LED technology validated in a double-blind clinical study. The company was founded in Amsterdam in November 2024 as a spin-off of LED technology company Seaborough and is part of the Momentum Global Ventures portfolio.
