Caroline Emilie "Lili" Bleeker (17 January 1897 – 8 November 1985) was a Dutch entrepreneur and physicist from Middelburg known for her designs and the manufacturing of optical instruments.

In the era she grew up, it was the norm for women to become housewives whose chief roles were to perform domestic duties, but Bleeker did not want to conform to these standards.

Because of her actions in the war, Bleeker was awarded the Royal Distinction by the Dutch army, and was later granted a recovery loan by the government to open up a new factory in Zeist.

Bleeker attended Lange Sint high school in Pietersstraat, Middelburg, the Netherlands and although she was a top student, she was discouraged by her mother from furthering her studies.

[7] Bleeker became a teacher at a secondary school for girls so that she could earn money to pay for her studies, but she herself regarded that job as unsuccessful because she felt that she was too young.

[5] In 1919, she became a laboratory assistant to various professors at the Utrecht Observatory Sonnenborgh, and on 1 January 1926 was named as sole head assistant[1][6] On 5 November 1928 she earned her PhD in physics cum laude from Utrecht University with the reputable Professor Leonard Ornstein, who was impressed by her work under his supervision that he wrote recommendation letters describing her as 'very intelligent and well educated, both theoretically and experimentally.'

[5] On 5 June 1930, eighteen months after receiving her degree, Bleeker started a successful physical consultancy which advised companies and industries on scientific instruments.