Women TechEU: a new EU call supporting women-led start-ups in the deeptech domain

What is deeptech or Deep technology?

A classification of organization, or more typically startup company, with the expressed objective of providing technology solutions based on substantial scientific or engineering challenges (source: Wikipedia).Often based on scientific research, deep tech startups tend to have longer R&D cycles, and usually require more time and capital to grow than tech startups.According to the EU Commission, deep tech represents more than a quarter of Europe’s start-up ecosystem, and European deep tech companies are now valued at €700 billion.  Yet women remain largely underrepresented across this industry. Only 10% of patent applications in the EU are filed by women, and less than 15% of start-ups are founded or co-founded by women (and only 6% by women-only teams).To limit the negative impact of this deep tech gender gap, a pilot programme was launched last year by the EU Commission. Funded under the Horizon Europe programme, it led to a selection of 50 women-led companies from 15 different countries working in deeptech research activities.

On June 2022 the Commission reopens the Women TechEU competition

Following to the positive results of the 2021 pilot programme, EU Commission opens on june 2022 a second call with a new budget of €10 million, which will fund roughly 130 companies (up from 50 this year). Deadline is at 4 october 2022.Women-led companies selected will receive a €75.000 financial support to the initial steps in the innovation process. In addition, the finalists will receive mentoring and coaching for leadership, internationalisation, business modelling, implementation strategy, market entry, fundraising, negotiating with investors, and much more, through the EIC’s Women Leadership Programme.

To apply to the new Women TechEU Competition you must be:

• a woman,
• a founder or co-founder of an early stage deep tech start-up
• hold a top management position (CEO, CTO or equivalent) in the company.

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Interested to the new funding calls for Women Deeptech startups? In the last issue of our CallforEurope Weekly Magazine we published extensive synopses of this EU call and other opportunities supporting research and innovation.

Have a look on it clicking on the cover of our Magazine!