Guides
Women TechEU: EU support for women leading deep-tech startups
€75,000 lump-sum + 12 months of mentoring + EU-wide community. For women in CEO/CTO roles of pre-seed deep-tech companies.
Key takeaways
Who exactly is eligible
The company must be a single SME (not a consortium), incorporated in an EU member state or Horizon Europe associated country, less than 6 years old at the call deadline, with at least one female founder in CEO/CTO position. The technology must qualify as 'deep tech' per the EU definition - significant R&D content, IP-defensible, addressing one of the EIB-listed deep-tech themes.
What the application looks like
Compared to most EU grants, Women TechEU is short and operator-friendly: ~15 pages covering company, technology, market, team, gender narrative, and how the €75k will be used. The gender-narrative section is unusual - reviewers want to understand the female leadership story specifically, not just check a box. Document concrete leadership decisions, not titles.
Why the cohort matters more than the cash
€75k closes maybe two months of a 5-person deep-tech team. The real lift is what comes next: warm intros to EU deep-tech investors, joint procurement opportunities with other Women TechEU companies, and visibility at EIC Summit. Choose your application timing to match an investor-runway gap, not to maximise cash.
FAQ
Frequently asked
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