FUNDING : €12 million in equity-free grants are offered to deep tech companies led by women, Apply now
The second call for applications, which will help women-led deep tech firms in Europe develop into tomorrow's tech leaders, has been launched, and the Women TechEU consortium is thrilled to announce it.
In 2021 and 2022, the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) oversaw the Women TechEU scheme. This project is an extension of that program, and it is now a fully-fledged cascade funding project managed by an EU-wide consortium consisting of investors, representatives of women entrepreneurs, and other players in the innovation ecosystem.
Twelve million euros in non-diluting financing will be awarded by the project over the course of two years through four competitive calls. The menu of business growth services will subsequently be made available to each cohort of prosperous entrepreneurs over a six-month period.
Objectives
Additional Information
Women Mentors: Over six months, participants will have monthly meetings with experienced women mentors who offer tailored guidance, support, and insights to help them succeed in their business endeavors.
Investor Outreach and Pitch Preparation: The program will connect women entrepreneurs with investor entities, such as business angels, VCs, and funds, within their network that are particularly welcoming to women founders.
Investor and Export Readiness Assessment: Start-ups will undergo a structured evaluation covering key business areas like team, product, market, finance, operations, and IP to determine their readiness to pitch to investors or present to potential clients.
Soft Skills Training: Recognizing that Women TechEU start-ups are early in their entrepreneurial journey, the program offers training in soft skills such as public speaking, presentation, leadership, productivity enhancement through AI, and more.
Sales Strategy & Execution: Since go-to-market strategy is a common stumbling block, the program provides guidance to ensure start-ups are well-prepared to present in front of investors and during competitions or award pitches.
Environmental Impact Assessment: With increasing investor interest in the environmental impact of technology and business models, this program includes an assessment of each start-up's environmental footprint.
Corporate Access: Leveraging the extensive corporate network of EIT KICs, the program offers women-led start-ups opportunities to connect with potential partners and customers.
Funding Information: The program has a total budget of €3,000,000, with a maximum funding limit of €75,000 per organization across all Women TechEU calls.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Early-Stage Start-up: The company must have been legally established at least six months before the submission deadline. Early-stage startups are those that are generally in a phase before rapid growth. To qualify, startups should meet the following criteria:
- They have been in operation for no more than 8 years from the submission date.
- They have raised limited funding, with a cap of €1 million in equity.
- They have yet to reach a high-fidelity Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
- Women Leadership: The company must be founded or co-founded by women who are legally recognized as such. Additionally, the female founder or co-founder must hold a top management role (CEO, CTO, CSO, or similar) in the company and own at least 25% of the shares as listed in the capitalization table (CAP table).
- Deep Tech: The startup should focus on deep tech innovation, aiming to address societal challenges through the application of the latest scientific and technological advances, with the goal of creating significant impact in the relevant areas.
FUNDING : €12 million in equity-free grants are offered to deep tech companies led by women, Apply now 0 reviews
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