This report presents early evidence of the impact of the ELEAD pilot cohort, a leadership and mentoring programme designed to support women’s career progression across ELIXIR. Drawing on qualitative analysis of four participants' stories, the report explores how structured leadership training, one-to-one mentoring, and peer mentoring contribute to increased confidence, strengthened professional networks, and more intentional leadership practices. The report also situates ELEAD within the broader context of gender imbalance in ELIXIR leadership. Internal snapshots from 2022 and 2024 indicate that men continue to dominate most senior decision-making roles, while women are more frequently found in coordination-focused positions with limited formal authority. ELEAD was created to address this structural gap by offering women targeted development opportunities, peer support and cross-Node connections. Each personal story is mapped against four impact domains (human capital, relationship capital, resource uptake or legacy, and infrastructure or research efficiency) using a simple 1–3 scale to assess the strength of evidence observed. While the findings are based on a small sample and reflect the programme's early impact, they offer initial insights into how ELEAD is beginning to support more inclusive leadership across ELIXIR.