Women Tech.EU initiative
Women Tech EU initiative
Funding Amount
Up to €75K
Deadline
02/09/2025
Eligible Organization Types
Non-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution
Trusted by
What is the Women Tech.EU initiative Call?
Grant Description
This call funds the implementation of the Women Tech EU initiative to support early-stage women-led deep-technology startups across Europe. It addresses the gender gap in the tech sector by providing financial support, networking, mentoring and fast-track access to the European Innovation Council Accelerator, aiming to foster a more diverse deep-tech ecosystem and enhance competitiveness of women entrepreneurs.
Required Results for Successful Funding
Expected Outcomes
The consortium will deliver a fully operational Women Tech EU initiative that:
• Provides a well-structured, continuous support mechanism for early-stage women-led deep-tech startups.
• Issues and manages open calls, evaluates proposals, and awards financial support using robust, EIC-aligned criteria.
• Establishes strong BAS linkages, enabling grantees to access mentoring, coaching and Fast Track routes to the EIC Accelerator.
• Drives quality application flows through an effective communication and branding campaign, with special focus on underrepresented Member States.
• Builds a cohesive network of Women Tech EU grantees via flagship events and integration into the EIC community.
• Promotes cooperation and peer-networking among women entrepreneurs across diverse geographies and deep-tech sectors.
• Ensures at least 75% of the budget finances grant support activities for third parties (up to EUR 75 000 each).
• Delivers comprehensive reporting on scheme implementation metrics—applications, evaluations, funded start-ups, demographic and sectoral data—to European Commission services.
• Provides a well-structured, continuous support mechanism for early-stage women-led deep-tech startups.
• Issues and manages open calls, evaluates proposals, and awards financial support using robust, EIC-aligned criteria.
• Establishes strong BAS linkages, enabling grantees to access mentoring, coaching and Fast Track routes to the EIC Accelerator.
• Drives quality application flows through an effective communication and branding campaign, with special focus on underrepresented Member States.
• Builds a cohesive network of Women Tech EU grantees via flagship events and integration into the EIC community.
• Promotes cooperation and peer-networking among women entrepreneurs across diverse geographies and deep-tech sectors.
• Ensures at least 75% of the budget finances grant support activities for third parties (up to EUR 75 000 each).
• Delivers comprehensive reporting on scheme implementation metrics—applications, evaluations, funded start-ups, demographic and sectoral data—to European Commission services.
Funded areas
Scope Requirements
• Support early-stage, women-led deep-tech startups registered and established for ≥6 months in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country.
• Eligible companies must be founded or co-founded by a woman holding a top management role (CEO, CTO, CSO or equivalent).
• All deep-tech domains are in scope; emphasis on gender balance at leadership level.
• Target companies with no prior substantial financial support.
• Consortium project duration: 24 months, with optional 12-month extension contingent on milestone achievement.
• Minimum two open calls per year; multiple cut-off dates encouraged.
• At least 75% of the total consortium budget must be allocated to financial support (grants) to third parties.
• Maximum grant per third party: EUR 75 000 to cover product/service refinement, design, user experience, business model upgrades, growth strategy, partner/investor search, market validation, etc.
• Proposals must include a detailed communication and branding plan, ensuring visibility as an EIC initiative and targeted outreach in underrepresented regions.
• Provision of mentoring and coaching via BAS under the Women Leadership Programme (funded separately).
• Eligible companies must be founded or co-founded by a woman holding a top management role (CEO, CTO, CSO or equivalent).
• All deep-tech domains are in scope; emphasis on gender balance at leadership level.
• Target companies with no prior substantial financial support.
• Consortium project duration: 24 months, with optional 12-month extension contingent on milestone achievement.
• Minimum two open calls per year; multiple cut-off dates encouraged.
• At least 75% of the total consortium budget must be allocated to financial support (grants) to third parties.
• Maximum grant per third party: EUR 75 000 to cover product/service refinement, design, user experience, business model upgrades, growth strategy, partner/investor search, market validation, etc.
• Proposals must include a detailed communication and branding plan, ensuring visibility as an EIC initiative and targeted outreach in underrepresented regions.
• Provision of mentoring and coaching via BAS under the Women Leadership Programme (funded separately).
Additional Conditions for Applicants
Special Conditions
• The consortium may be funded for only one project under this call.
• Admissibility, eligibility, evaluation, award, financial & operational capacity, and legal set-up conditions follow Annex 2 of the EIC Work Programme 2025 (Parts A–G).
• All third-party calls must: – remain open for ≥2 months; – be published on the Funding & Tenders Portal and consortium websites; – adhere to EU standards on transparency, equal treatment, conflict of interest and confidentiality; – promptly announce and communicate any deadline changes to registered applicants; – publish call outcomes without delay, including third-party project descriptions, award dates, durations, legal names and countries.
• Calls must demonstrate a clear European dimension.
• Evaluation and award procedures align with EIC Accelerator criteria, scoring and thresholds.
• Grant management must follow the Model Grant Agreement (Budget-Based Horizon Action Grant) and the Financial Regulation 2024/2509.
• The consortium must allocate ≥75% of its Horizon-CSA budget (€15 000 000) to third-party grants and retain ≤25% for coordination/support activities.
• Third parties’ eligibility and reporting obligations mirror those set out in the HE CSA application and evaluation forms.
• Admissibility, eligibility, evaluation, award, financial & operational capacity, and legal set-up conditions follow Annex 2 of the EIC Work Programme 2025 (Parts A–G).
• All third-party calls must: – remain open for ≥2 months; – be published on the Funding & Tenders Portal and consortium websites; – adhere to EU standards on transparency, equal treatment, conflict of interest and confidentiality; – promptly announce and communicate any deadline changes to registered applicants; – publish call outcomes without delay, including third-party project descriptions, award dates, durations, legal names and countries.
• Calls must demonstrate a clear European dimension.
• Evaluation and award procedures align with EIC Accelerator criteria, scoring and thresholds.
• Grant management must follow the Model Grant Agreement (Budget-Based Horizon Action Grant) and the Financial Regulation 2024/2509.
• The consortium must allocate ≥75% of its Horizon-CSA budget (€15 000 000) to third-party grants and retain ≤25% for coordination/support activities.
• Third parties’ eligibility and reporting obligations mirror those set out in the HE CSA application and evaluation forms.
Important dates
Open from: 01/04/2025
Deadline:02/09/2025
Application period has ended
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