Call for applications for early-stage, women-led startups in the digital and deep-tech sectors across Europe to participate in a specialized open innovation program.

About this grant

Call for applications for early-stage, women-led startups in the digital and deep-tech sectors across Europe to participate in a specialized open innovation program. To be eligible, companies must be registered for between six months and six years, have raised €1 million or less in equity, and be founded or co-founded by a woman who holds a top management position and at least 25% of the company's shares. The program focuses on solving twelve diverse corporate challenges, covering areas such as AI-driven production optimization, sustainable material development, and tax strategy design. Selected startups will first enter a one-month Inception stage, with up to seven companies advancing to a five-month Piloting stage in collaboration with a corporate partner. The initiative offers a total funding pool of €475K with individual awards of up to €55K available. Interested founders must submit their applications via the Sploro platform no later than May 19, 2026.

How to apply

1. 1Verify eligibility criteria, including applicant type (e.g., SMEs, consortia), geographic requirements, and funding rates (often 40-100% co-financing).
2. 2Form a consortium if required (e.g., minimum partners from multiple countries for collaborative projects).
3. 3Register as a user and your organization on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal to obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC).
4. 4Download templates, prepare Part A (administrative data) and Part B (technical description, budget, impact), and run validation checks.
5. 5Submit online before the deadline; track via confirmation email and code, with evaluation taking 3-6 months.
6. 6Visit https://eufundingportal.eu for application details

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