Winners of the second Women TechEU Open Call

Following the closure of the Women TechEU’s project Open Call 2 on the 1 October 2024, the EU-funded scheme received an impressive 827 applications from 41 eligible countries. After a thorough evaluation process 40 winners were selected, representing 16 countries, including 7 from widening countries.

Geographic Diversity of Winners 

The latest selection round showcases startups from across a broad range of countries. France led with 7 winning startups, followed by the United Kingdom and Netherlands with 6, Spain with 3, and Belgium, Germany, Portugal, Ireland, Poland and Latvia with 2 each. A winner was selected from North Macedonia, Croatia, Sweden, Türkiye, Estonia and Austria. This wide-ranging representation underscores the consortium's commitment to fostering innovation across diverse technological landscapes, including those from widening countries.

Sectoral Representation 

Startups from a broad spectrum of sectors participated in the call. A majority of the selected winners—52.5%—belonged to the "Biotechnology, Life Sciences, and Agritech" category, demonstrating strong innovation in health, agriculture, and life sciences. "Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (including Big Data)" followed at 27.5%, while 17.5% of the winners were involved in "Advanced Materials." Other notable sectors included "Sustainable Energy, Clean Technologies and Greentech" (15%), "Cybersecurity and Data Protection" (12.5%), and "Advanced Manufacturing" (10%). Sectors like "Advanced Computing /Quantum Computing" (5%), "Electronics and Photonics" (5%), "Aerospace, Automotive and Remote Sensing" (2.5%), “Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Metaverse” (2.5%), “Web 3.0, including Blockchain, Distributed Ledgers, NFTs” (2.5%), and one winner who entered  'Climate-Tech and Nature-Tech' under the “other” sector category.

DataHub 

Step into the world of deep tech innovation with the latest updates on the Women TechEU DataHub! 

The platform now features the second call winners, showcasing their pioneering projects and breakthroughs. Dive into detailed profiles of each winning startup, gain insights into their ventures, and discover the expansive impact they're making in the deep tech community. The DataHub provides essential information to foster connections and enhance visibility among innovators and industry leaders alike. 

You can explore the DataHub at https://datahub.womentecheurope.eu

What’s next?

Following the conclusion of Open Call 2 for startups, the Women TechEU consortium has already launched the third call which is set to close on 17th March 2025 at 17:00 CET (Brussels time), The fourth call is scheduled for later this year, with each selecting 40 beneficiaries. Each selected startup will receive a €75,000 grant (non-dilutive funding) alongside a personalised business development programme, which includes mentoring, coaching, and targeted training. With this robust support, the programme aims to empower more women-led startups in the deep tech space.

The insights gathered from Open Call 1 and Open Call 2 have been instrumental, prompting the project consortium to refine its engagement strategies. These strategies now focus on increasing participation from regions and sectors that previously saw fewer applications. By deliberately targeting these areas, the consortium aims to enhance diversity and broaden the impact of the upcoming calls, ensuring a more inclusive reach across Europe’s innovation landscape.

For stakeholders interested in collaborating to promote the Women TechEU scheme through a physical or virtual activity, the consortium encourages reaching out to the dedicated Events team at events@womentecheurope.eu.

For more information

All relevant details, including eligibility criteria, can be found on the Women TechEU website. Interested applicants are encouraged to consult the Guidelines for Applicants and the FAQ section for more information.

For any questions regarding the Women TechEU scheme, please contact the official Helpdesk Team at helpdesk@womentecheurope.eu.