Women TechEU Programme

Women TechEU: Empowering Women-Led Deep-Tech Startups Across Europe

Support for early-stage, women-led deep-tech startups across Europe with grant funding, mentoring, and access to EU innovation networks.

Download our Funding Guide

The Women TechEU programme is designed to support women-led deep-tech startups across Europe, empowering female founders to scale groundbreaking innovations.

Whether you’re developing next-generation deep-tech solutions or building a research-driven startup ready to grow, Women TechEU provides equity-free funding, mentoring, and access to European innovation networks to boost your company’s visibility, competitiveness, and long-term growth potential.

Equity-Free Grant

Receive a €75,000 non-dilutive grant to accelerate R&D, market validation, and scaling activities.

Female-Led Focus

Exclusively for startups founded or co-founded by women driving innovation in deep-tech.

Ecosystem Access

Join the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) and InvestEU platforms to expand your partnerships and visibility.

Business Coaching

Get tailored support through the EIC Business Accelerator Services (BAS) to strengthen your strategy and investor readiness.

€75k

grant per selected startup

4

calls

100%

Funding rate

27

participating countries

What you need
to know before
applying

Start your eligibility check now

 

💡 Start early! Build your consortium and define your project scope 2–3 months before submission.

About the Women TechEU call

Women TechEU is a Horizon Europe initiative supporting women-led deep-tech startups with €75,000 in equity-free funding and business coaching.

Eligible applicants
  • Women founders or co-founders in top management (CEO, CTO, CSO)
  • Must hold at least 25% ownership
  • Company established in an EU Member State or HE Associated Country
  • Operational for minimum 6 months before applying
  • Not previously funded under Women TechEU
Funding

Type of Funding

  • Grant: €75,000 non-dilutive (equity-free) per selected startup
  • Funded under the Horizon Europe framework
  • Designed to cover early-stage business development and innovation activities
Key deadlines

📅 Next Call Opening: Expected early 2026
Submission Deadline: Mid-2026 (TBC)
📝 Results & Grant Agreements: By late 2026

The next Women TechEU call is expected in early 2026, when a new iteration of the programme begins. The European Commission has not yet released official details on their timing, content, or specific requirements.

💡 Exact dates will be published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Application process
  1. Check eligibility – Confirm your startup is women-led, deep-tech, and based in an EU or associated country.
  2. Prepare documents – Business plan, team, innovation summary, and budget.
  3. Submit online – Via the official Sploro platform.
  4. Evaluation – Independent experts assess innovation, impact, and feasibility.
  5. Funding – Selected startups sign grants and receive support within a few months.
Evaluation criteria

Proposals are evaluated by independent experts based on:

  • Excellence – Quality, originality, and deep-tech innovation potential.
  • Impact – Market relevance, scalability, and contribution to gender equality in innovation.
  • Implementation – Feasibility of the work plan, team capacity, and project management.

Eligible costs

The €75,000 grant covers:

  • R&D and innovation activities
  • Business development and scaling
  • IP protection and legal support
  • Mentoring and coaching services
  • Key operational expenses

All costs must follow Horizon Europe eligibility rules.

How We Support Your Women TechEU Application

  • Backed by PhDs, engineers, and finance experts, we guide you through every stage of the Women TechEU application and project lifecycle.
  • We combine strategic insight with technical excellence to help women-led deep-tech startups secure this highly competitive grant and maximise the impact of the accompanying mentoring, coaching, and business acceleration support.
Diagnóstico y preparación

2. Grant Application 

We guide the full preparation of your Women TechEU application, refining your project concept, business vision, and deep-tech positioning. We support the creation of the required documents—business plan summary, activity work plan, and founder narrative—ensuring strong alignment with programme expectations. We also enhance your pitch materials and storytelling to clearly communicate your value as a women-led deep-tech startup.

Obtención de ayuda (2)

3. Submission & Grant Agreement

We support the complete submission workflow and maintain communication with the funding agency. Once selected, we guide you through all Grant Agreement steps, including legal validations, documentation checks, budget adjustments, and administrative requirements—ensuring a smooth transition into the project start and the associated mentoring and coaching programme.

Need expert advice for your Women TechEU proposal?

Our consultants guide you through everything you need to know about EU calls, requirements, and winning strategies.

Contact our team

close-up-female-researcher-holding-glassware

“Evolution’s expertise and guidance were instrumental in securing our funding. Their support throughout the entire process, from crafting the proposal to preparing for the final pitch, was invaluable. It’s the most professional and comprehensive assistance we’ve ever received.”

Paul Kamoun, Director of Spacepharma

Admins using computer in data center office, running scripts

“Evolution was pivotal in improving and refining our business model and go-to-market strategy. Besides, the writing of the proposal was elevated to a very high standard; we could not have achieved this without Evolution’s help.”

Fadhil Musa, co-founder of Delox

quote-3

At Evolution, we found the expertise and guidance in this domain to identify and target the right programme for us. Getting Evolution alongside was fundamental to ensure peace of mind and keep the start-up team focused on project development.

Mathieu Horras, CEO, Founder & Board Member of Aspivix

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The ultimate guide to
securing R&D funding in
Europe

  • How to identify the best funding opportunities for your project
  • Learn strategies top innovators use to secure grants, navigate complex
    applications, and maximize funding potential.
  • Proven tips for writing winning grant proposals

Download now and boost your funding success!

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about the Women TechEU programme.

What activities can be funded by Women TechEU?

Business model development, IP strategy, product validation, and scaling activities.

When is the next call?

The current call is closed; future calls will be announced via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and Sploro.

What countries participate in Women TechEU?

Women TechEU is open to companies that are registered and established in any European Union (EU) Member State or in a Horizon Europe Associated Country.

What is the duration Women TechEU projects?

Women TechEU projects last two years.

What funding rate does Women TechEU offer?

The Women TechEU programme offers a 100% funding rate through a €75,000 equity-free grant. This means the funding is non-dilutive (no ownership is taken) and fully covers eligible project costs.

What is the success rate for Women TechEU?

The Women TechEU programme is highly competitive, with a typical success rate of around 3–5%. On average, about 40 startups are selected per call from hundreds of applications across Europe. That’s why most apply with the help of funding experts.

How long does it take to get funded?

It usually takes around 6 to 9 months from the application deadline to receive funding under the Women TechEU programme. This includes the time for evaluation, selection, and signing of the grant agreement before the first payment is made.

What is the TRL required to apply to the Women TechEU programme?

The Women TechEU programme supports early-stage deep-tech startups developing innovations at TRL 3–6 — from proof of concept to prototype validation. Projects should demonstrate strong technological innovation and clear potential for market application.

Ready to secure Women TechEU funding for your project?

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