The recent publication of most of Horizon Europe’s work programmes has provided insights on European priorities over the 7 coming years. Amongst them, ensuring a fair and equal digital transition is particularly critical.

In response to the low proportion of women-founded innovative start-ups in the EU (15%) and the even lower 2% of all-female teams being granted venture capital money, Horizon Europe’s European Innovation Ecosystems 2021-2022 work programme gives emphasis to gender equality within the digital sector with its 2021 Women-TechEU call.

A call for mentors in leadership positions (investors, researchers and tech experts) was launched under the EIC’s Women Leadership Programme. Introduced at the time of the European Research and Innovation Days (23-24 June), the call will close 10 November 2021.

Enshrined under the SCALEUP – Elevating the scalability potential of European Business destination, WomenTechEU action will be supported by the European Innovation Council’s Accelerator & Pathfinder with a €2 million contribution.

The initiative’s €3.75 million total indicative budget is to be distributed as €75,000 individual grants to support early-stage business development and targets women founders, co-founders or holding a high management position in deep tech start-ups around Europe and associated countries.

The early-stage focus brings novelty with respect to the EIC’s main Accelerator programme – which also supports women-led start-ups development in general – and is expected to generate talent attraction for a greater emergence of women-founded companies in the future.

Women-TechEU also includes assistance in networking and mentoring activities which will be provided by the EIC Business Acceleration Services (BAS) to increase women’s visibility and funding opportunities.

Find out more about Women-TechEU here.