The results of the first call under the new Women TechEU pilot program have been announced by the Commission in a bid to support deep-tech startups led by women. The European Innovation Ecosystems work programme of Horizon Europe, the EU research and innovation programme, funded the call.
Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth Commissioner Mariya Gabriel expressed that she was proud of the successful outcome of the first Women TechEU call.
She added that the high number of outstanding applications show there is a need for women in deep-tech to get assistance for their startups at the earliest, most challenging phases.
A robust support program
Gabriel added that collectively, the program would continue to find, mentor, and offer networking opportunities to the applicants and scale up the program over this year.
Women TechEU is a new initiative by the European Union, offering grants worth €75,000 each to help the startups in their innovation process and growth stages.
It also offers mentorship and coaching under the bloc-wide European Innovation Council (EIC) Women Leadership Programme. The projects will start in the Spring of 2022 and run for a reported 6-12 months.
The goals
After an expert review examination, the Commission will assist the first batch of 50 women-led businesses from 15 countries. Over 40 businesses are situated in EU member states, while one-fifth come from Horizon Europe’s expanding countries. In addition, about a fifth of the selected firms are based in Horizon Europe-affiliated nations.
The firms selected for financing have created cutting-edge and innovative solutions in various fields, ranging from early cancer detection and treatment to lowering the damaging effect of methane emissions. They target sustainable development goals (SDGs), such as fighting against climate change, decreasing food waste, expanding access to quality education, and women’s empowerment.
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