Women TechEU 2026-2028 – €75,000 Grants & Business Support for Women-Led Deep Tech Startups in Europe – Apply Now

Application Deadline: July 13, 2027 at 17:00 CEST

About the Programme

The Women TechEU scheme is an EU-funded project supporting women leading deep tech startup companies from Europe. The mission is to foster inclusive innovation by supporting women-led startups, including under-represented deep tech sectors and European regions. Diversity drives innovation, and the programme is here to provide women in deep tech with more opportunities, resources, and support in order to build market-shaping companies at global level. Between 2026-2028, the current project consortium will run a continuous open call with 4 cut-off dates. Following a rigorous evaluation process, 160 total beneficiaries will be selected. Each beneficiary will receive €75k grants (non-dilutive finance), as well as a tailored package of mentorship, training, expert guidance, matchmaking and networking opportunities, and support in bridging the gap to other EIC funding and support schemes. The scheme continues the work initiated by the European Commission (2021-2022) and the first Women TechEU project consortium (2024-2026). EISMEA remains its granting authority. The Women TechEU 2 EIC (2026-2028) project is currently being run by a consortium of 15 partners from 11 EU countries, with a further 14 organisations from 13 countries associated to the consortium.

Grant Benefits

Selected beneficiaries receive:

• €75,000 equity-free grant (non-dilutive finance)
• Tailored mentorship and training from industry experts
• Expert guidance on business development and scaling
• Matchmaking and networking opportunities with investors and partners
• Support in bridging the gap to other EIC funding and support schemes
• Access to the Women TechEU Alumni community for ongoing support

Eligibility Criteria

Target Audience:

• Early-stage deep tech startups founded or co-founded by women holding a top management position (CEO, CTO, or equivalent)
• Women should hold at least 25% of the shares in the company at the time of submission

Company Requirements:

• Must be registered and established in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Pillar III Associated Country
• Must be registered for at least six months and a maximum of five years from the time of submission to the eligibility cut-off
• Legal form must be a commercial entity (not a Foundation or NGO)
• Must be at a stage before reaching a high fidelity Minimum Viable Product (between TRL 4 and TRL 6, both included)
• Must have raised less than €1 million in equity
• Must employ fewer than 250 persons
• Must have an annual turnover not exceeding €50 million, or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million

Deep Tech Focus:

• The startup should be a deep tech company aiming to provide concrete solutions to societal problems
• Deep tech finds its source in a deep interaction with the most recent scientific and technological advances
• Applications are welcomed from all deep tech fields of activity

AI-Specific Note: If your deep tech innovation includes AI, the stage of development of your AI will be the determining factor of whether you are eligible or not.

Ineligibility:

• Neither the application as a whole nor any parts of it should have already benefitted from a previous Women TechEU initiative or EIC Accelerator
• Missing any single one of the above criteria will immediately render your application as non-eligible

Eligible Countries

• EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
• Associated Countries: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, and United Kingdom. Note: The UK is associated to the entire Programme, with the only exception of the EIC fund, which is part of the EIC Accelerator that provides investment through equity or other repayable form.

Application Process

The programme runs a continuous open call with 4 cut-off dates between 2026-2028. The application and evaluation process is rigorous to ensure the selection of 160 total beneficiaries.

Application Link:  Click here to apply

For More Information: Visit the Official Women TechEU Website