Following the very encouraging response to the first pilot in 2021, the European Commission is more than doubling the budget to EUR 10 million this year, which is expected to fund up to 130 companies.

Women TechEU provides support to women-led startups at the earliest, riskiest stage of their company’s growth. In addition to a EUR 75 000 grant, the finalists receive mentoring and coaching for leadership, internationalisation, business modelling, implementation strategy, market entry, fundraising, negotiating with investors, and much more, through the EIC’s Women Leadership Programme.

By supporting women-led deep tech startups, the European Commission aims to create an equal and more prosperous European deep-tech ecosystem. In addition, the Women TechEU scheme promotes female leaders in their industries but also in their capacity of decision-makers. The Commission’s funding label targets leveraging their position in the investment space, where women remain underrepresented.

Women TechEU is one of several EU initiatives aimed at supporting and empowering women in tech and innovation, including the annual EU Prize for Women Innovators and the EIC’s new Women Leadership Programme.

This scheme is funded under the European Innovation Ecosystems work programme of Horizon Europe, with support from the European Innovation Council (EIC).

 Applications are open until 4 October 2022, 17:00 (CET).

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