Women Innovators category

Specific Challenge:

Objectives and scope

Facing fast-paced developing technologies and science, it is crucial to involve women and girls in the design, development and up-take of innovative solutions. Achieving gender equality and diversity benefits not only individuals, but also increases the performance of business, research and innovation.

Nevertheless, women continue to face multiple barriers, in bringing new ideas to the market and raising capital for their companies. This negatively affects the success rate of women-founded businesses and perpetuates the lack of awareness about the systemic nature of gender inequality. Hence, women’s efforts and contributions to science and innovation should be encouraged and supported.

The European Commission put in place a Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025^[1], which sets out the Commission’s broader commitment to equality across all EU policies.

As outlined in the New European Innovation Agenda^[2], supporting women innovators strengthens the European research and innovation system and creates gender-equal working environments where all talents can thrive. By integrating a gender dimension in projects, research quality is improved as well as the production of the knowledge, technologies and innovations.

The European Prize for Women Innovators celebrates the women entrepreneurs behind Europe’s game-changing innovations, so that they may inspire other women and girls realise their full potential as the EU’s future scientists, innovators, and tech leaders.

This prize supports a culture within research and innovation organisations and companies allowing women to become the innovators and entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

The prize is awarded every year to women from across the EU and countries associated to Horizon Europe, who have transformed their ideas into disruptive innovations to benefit people and the planet.

As for the previous edition, the 2025 European Prize for Women Innovators is organised jointly by the Agency and the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT). The winners are chosen by an independent expert jury.

There are two EIC prize categories funded under this Work Programme: Women Innovators and Rising Innovators. In the first category, three prizes of EUR 100 000, EUR 70 000 and EUR 50 000 are awarded to the three highest-ranked applications. In the second category, three prizes of EUR 50 000, EUR 30 000 and EUR 20 000 are awarded to the three highest-ranked applications from promising ‘Rising Innovators’ under the age of 35. (The EIT Women Leadership category will be funded and managed by the EIT following the same broad approach and the same timetable.)

Eligibility criteria

All applicants must comply with the following eligibility criteria to participate:

1. The applicant must be a woman;^[3]
2. The applicant must be legally established^[4] in an EU Member State, including overseas countries and territories (OCTs) or a country associated to Horizon Europe;
3. The applicant must be the founder or co-founder^[5] of the company or organisation;
4. The company or organisation must be established in an EU Member State including overseas countries and territories, (OCTs) or a country associated to Horizon Europe, and registered or incorporated^[6] at least two years before the call year^[7];
5. Applicants who have already received an EU or Euratom prize cannot receive a second prize for the same activities.

In addition to the above, those applying for the Rising Innovators category must be aged under 35 at the start of the call year.^[8] There is no age limit to apply for the Women Innovators category (or for the EIT Women Leadership category), though applicants eligible for several prize categories can only apply to one.

Applicants are expected to provide proof of eligibility upon request.

Applicants must support their written application with an inspiring video message about themselves and their achievements, lasting no more than 90 seconds.

Award criteria

The prize is awarded to the applicants who in the opinion of the jury best address the following criteria:

1. Breakthrough innovation – the company or organisation founded or co-founded by the applicant is pioneering a breakthrough and disruptive innovation focusing, among others, deep-tech and Science Technology Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) fields, within the EU or countries associated to Horizon Europe.
2. Impact – this innovation addresses a real need or challenge, with significant benefits for people and/or the planet. The applicant will demonstrate how the company’s or organisation’s current performance and growth is driving a positive socio-economic and/or environmental impact, among others, in terms of wellbeing, education, profit, job creation.
3. Inspiration – the applicant is an inspiring leader, who has played a pivotal role in the success of the company or organisation and is a role model empowering other women and girls in realising their full potential. The applicant should, for example, highlight her efforts to promote gender balance within the company, organisation or beyond, and/or to advocate for innovative initiatives that have positively contributed to gender equality in, e.g., access to finance, networks, product design, education and contributes to a gender-responsive innovation.

The jury will review and score all eligible applications, and invite the shortlisted applicants to an interview to defend their application. This interview may take place remotely.

Further details on the evaluation and award criteria will be specified in the rules for this contest published at the launch of the contest. For the common ‘Rules of Contest for Prizes’ please see the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal.

Expected results

The prize will boost public awareness of the potential, importance and contribution of women to the EU innovation ecosystem and create strong role models, inspiring more women to become innovators themselves.

More information can be found in the EIC WP 2024.

[1]Gender equality in research and innovation (europa.eu)

[2]See Flagship 4: Fostering, attracting and retaining deep tech talent :The New European Innovation Agenda (europa.eu)

[3]This Prize celebrates women in all their diversity. The word 'woman' equates to a cis woman, or a transgender woman who is legally defined as a woman.

[4]A person is legally established in a given country, if she is recognised as a resident under national law in that country, and proof of such recognition can be provided upon request.

[5]A co-founder is somebody who has started the company (i.e. "founded" the company) with at least one other person, and proof of this can be provided upon request.

[6]The company or organisation is formed and registered with the appropriate statutory authority of the country as a 'company or corporation', and proof can be provided upon request.

[7]The company must be registered or incorporated before 1 January 2022.

[8]Those applying for the Rising Innovator category must be born on or after 1 January 1989.