2025 European Prize for Women Innovators: applications open

“This prize helps strengthen gender equality in business and tech, championing women innovation talent and women-led companies,” mentions Iliana Ivanova, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth. 

Different cash prizes ranging from €20,000 to €100,000 are available for winners and runners-up in three categories: Women Innovators, Rising Innovators, and the EIT Women Leadership Award.

• The EIC Women Innovators category is open to women founders and co-founders from the EU and associated countries. The three highest-ranked applications will receive €100,000, €70,000 and €50,000 respectively. 
• The EIC Rising Innovators category targets women innovators under 35 years. The top three applications are awarded €50,000, €30,000, and €20,000 each.
• The EIT Women Leadership category focuses on women with a direct link to the EIT Community. The top three applications receive awards of €50,000, €30,000, and €20,000 each.

Support for Luxembourg applicants

The national innovation agency Luxinnovation provides support to intending applicants for European and national funding. Within the scope of the EIC Accelerator programme, Luxinnovation supported the first-ever EIC Accelerator winners from Luxembourg during the application process. This includes Arspectra, a global pioneer in the development of medical augmented reality glasses and automated battery upcycling specialist Circu Li-ion. 

A remarkable opportunity to recognize and highlight the contributions of women innovators and leaders across Europe.

Inna Perepelytsya, Luxinnovation.

Other Luxinnovation-supported startups like learning solution Magrid and healthtech company Voicemed have also benefitted from EIC support under the WomenTechEU programme. In addition to the €75,000 each company received, mentoring and coaching was provided within the framework of the EIC "Women Leadership" programme. New calls for applications will open soon.

 “The 2025 European Prize for Women Innovators is another remarkable opportunity to recognize and highlight the contributions of women innovators and leaders across Europe and associated countries,” points out Inna Perepelytsya, Senior Advisor Start up Acceleration at Luxinnovation. “Women innovators from Luxembourg are encouraged to apply and can count on our full support before, during, and after the application process,” concludes Francisco Melo Advisor European R&D and Innovation Support at the national innovation agency.

Applications for the 2025 Prize are open until 25 September 2024.