The Women TechEU 1st call is Open! – This marks one of the most significant projects AcrossLimits has ever embarked upon and stands as a testament to our ongoing commitment to gender equality and innovation. Apply now through our website: https://womentecheurope.eu/.
The first call closes on 20th May 2024 17:00 CEST (Brussels time).
The context:
The project’s mission is to pave the way towards a more gender-balanced entrepreneurship ecosystem. Despite women making up over half of the EU’s population, less than 15% of startups are founded or co-founded by women (and only 6% by women-only teams)¹. In 2023, companies founded solely by women garnered just 1.1% of the total capital invested in venture-backed startups in Europe². The low amount of capital invested in women-led companies creates a vicious circle: Women-led startups tend to join accelerator programmes 1 to 2 years later than their male peers and raise significantly less funding in their early stages. Female-led startups are 5 years behind their male-led peers, which means that their business models are less likely to grow fast in terms of economic growth and impact.
Initiatives like Women TechEU are crucial to address the gendered imbalance and structural barriers that women face in their entrepreneurial journey, especially in male-dominated sectors such as deep tech. Women TechEU will provide women in deep tech with more opportunities, resources, and support to thrive.
The funding scheme:
Over the next 2 years, 4 open calls will be issued in total. Applicant startups will undergo a rigorous evaluation by business and deep tech experts, from which a total of 160 will be selected to receive a €75,000 each in non-dilutive grant as well as a personalised business development programme. Alongside the funding, this 6-month support programme will allow each company to select its preferred support services from a varied menu:
The Eligibility Criteria:
To be eligible for the funding, companies need to satisfy a number of eligibility criteria, as per below:
Prospective applicants are encouraged to refer to the project website, https://womentecheurope.eu/, where the detailed guidelines with all the necessary information, FAQs, and link to the online application can be found.
Our role:
AcrossLimits has a crucial role to play in the project, as we are responsible for leading the communication and dissemination of the project, ensuring that we build an audience for Women TechEU, engage with stakeholders virtually and in person, and communicate what’s going on in the project. This is a very critical role in a project seeking to reach 15,000 startups and receive a minimum of 1,500 funding applications. Moreover, AcrossLimits will be leveraging its business development and entrepreneurial expertise to substantially contribute to the provision of the Programme of Business Acceleration Services.
We couldn’t be happier to be part of this initiative that is paving the way for women to shine as innovators and leaders in deep tech across Europe. Let’s empower and elevate these trailblazing women to shape the future of technology!
Sign up for the project here
Do you have what it takes to be a leader in deep tech? Or perhaps you would like to contribute to the initiative by providing your expertise as a grant evaluator or as a female mentor? Are you passionate about women’s role in business and innovation? You can learn more about Women TechEU by following our journey on social media or signing up on our website to receive automatic updates. Keep your eyes peeled – the first call will be announced very soon!
Women TechEU is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
References:
- EU launches Women TechEU pilot to put women at the forefront of deep tech https://eic.ec.europa.eu/news/eu-launches-women–techeu-pilot-put-women-forefront-deep-tech-2021-07-13_en
- Women founders and venture capital – some 2023 snapshots: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/03/women-startups-vc-funding/
