Rising Innovators category

The European Prize for Women Innovators 2026 is a recognition prize within the Horizon Europe initiative, aimed at celebrating women entrepreneurs who contribute to disruptive innovations across the EU and associated countries. This annual prize is jointly organized by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and is part of a broader strategy to enhance female representation in innovation and entrepreneurship.

The prize is divided into three categories: Women Innovators, Rising Innovators, and EIT Women Leadership. To be eligible, applicants must be women (cis or transgender) who are founders or co-founders of a company that operates within the parameters set for the prize. Specifically, applicants in the Rising Innovators category must be under 35 years old, while applicants for the EIT category should be linked to EIT community initiatives. All companies must have been established for at least two years before the start of the call year.

The funding amounts for the Rising Innovators category total EUR 100,000, distributed among three prizes of EUR 50,000, EUR 30,000, and EUR 20,000, respectively. The application process is a single-stage open call, requiring electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, which must be completed by September 25, 2025.

Applications must include an application form, a technical description limited to 15 pages, and a video message of no more than 90 seconds highlighting the applicant’s achievements. The evaluation focuses on three main criteria: breakthrough innovation, impact, and inspiration, each scoring a maximum of 10 points. A total of 30 points is available, with a threshold of 18 points needed to qualify.

As the prize targets impact-oriented innovations, it emphasizes projects that address real-world challenges with significant societal benefits. The success rate is considerably competitive, anticipated to be below 10%, since only the top three applicants are awarded prizes.

Winning the prize not only offers financial support but also enhances visibility for the innovators and helps promote the European Union’s commitment to gender equality in the innovation ecosystem.

The European Prize for Women Innovators 2026 is a Horizon Europe recognition prize jointly organized by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT). It aims to celebrate women entrepreneurs behind game-changing innovations, inspiring other women and girls to become future scientists, innovators, and tech leaders. The prize supports a culture within research and innovation organizations and companies that allows women to become innovators and entrepreneurs. It is awarded annually to women from across the EU and countries associated with Horizon Europe who have transformed their ideas into disruptive innovations benefiting people and the planet.

There are three categories: Women Innovators (funded by the EIC), Rising Innovators (funded by the EIC), and EIT Women Leadership (funded by the EIT). The Rules of Contest apply to both the EIC and EIT prize categories.

The total budget for the Rising Innovators category is 100,000 EUR, and for the Women Innovators category, it is 220,000 EUR. The call is single-stage, opening on June 17, 2025, and closing on September 25, 2025, at 17:00 CET (Brussels time). Three grants are indicatively available in each category.

To be eligible, applicants must:

Be a woman (cis woman, or a transgender woman who is legally defined as a woman).
Apply as a natural person, not a legal entity.
Be legally residing in an EU Member State (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs)) or a country associated with Horizon Europe. Legal residence is defined as being recognized as a resident under national law, with proof available upon request.
Be the founder or co-founder of the company or organization. Self-employment is not acceptable. A co-founder is someone who has started the company with at least one other person, with proof available upon request.
The company or organization must be established in an EU Member State (including OCTs) or a country associated with Horizon Europe and registered or incorporated at least two years before the call year (before January 1, 2023). The company or organization is formed and registered with the appropriate statutory authority of the country as a 'company or corporation', and proof can be provided upon request.
Applicants who have already received an EU or Euratom prize cannot receive a second prize for the same activities.
Applicants to the Rising Innovators category must be aged under 35 at the start of the call year (born on or after January 1, 1990).
Applicants to the EIT category must have a direct link to the EIT Community or to one of the existing Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). 'EIT Community’ means the EIT and the active community of individuals and legal entities which benefited or benefit from the EIT support or financial contribution (in line with Article 2(8) of the EIT Regulation), e.g. support through an innovation or business acceleration procedure of any of the EIT KICs, or successful completion of an EIT Labelled Educational Programme. For the direct link to the EIT Community, applicants are expected to provide a supporting document, such as a certificate from an EIT KIC indicating the EIT support, a signed agreement for the financial support received from an EIT KIC, or a diploma / certificate regarding the successfully completed EIT Labelled Educational Programme.
Applicants eligible for several prize categories can only apply to one.
Joint applications by a group of applicants are not accepted and will be rejected as ineligible. Applicants from the same organization must apply separately.
Applicants must register in the Participant Register before the call deadline and be validated by the Central Validation Service (REA Validation). For the validation, you will be requested to upload documents showing legal status (please make sure to select ‘natural person’) and origin.

Entities without legal personality may exceptionally participate, provided their representatives can undertake legal obligations and offer guarantees for the protection of EU financial interests. Applicants from countries with ongoing negotiations for association agreements may participate and receive a prize if negotiations conclude before the award. Special rules apply for entities subject to EU restrictive measures or EU conditionality measures; such entities may be ineligible.

Applicants subject to an EU exclusion decision or in exclusion situations (bankruptcy, breach of obligations, grave professional misconduct, fraud, irregularities, etc.) cannot participate. Applicants will also be refused if they misrepresented information or were previously involved in the call's preparation, leading to a conflict of interest.

Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System before the deadline. Paper submissions are not possible. The application must include:

Application Form Part A: Administrative information about the applicant (to be filled in directly online).
Application Form Part B: Technical description of the application (template to be downloaded, completed, and re-uploaded, maximum 15 pages).
A mandatory inspiring video message lasting no more than 90 seconds, describing themselves and their achievements (uploaded as a .zip file, maximum 100MB).
Proof of age for the Rising Innovators category.

The evaluation criteria are:

Breakthrough innovation: The company or organization founded or co-founded by the applicant is developing a breakthrough innovation focusing, among others, on deep-tech and Science Technology Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) fields. The applicant should demonstrate what makes this innovation breakthrough in relation to other existing solutions.
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 organization’s current performance and growth is driving a positive socio-economic and/or environmental impact, among others, in terms of wellbeing, education, profit, or job creation.
Inspiration: The applicant is an inspiring leader who has played a pivotal role in the success of the company or organization and is a role model empowering other women and girls in realizing their full potential. The applicant should, for example, highlight her efforts to promote gender balance within the company, organization 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.

Each criterion has a maximum score of 10, with a minimum pass score of 6. The overall pass score is 18 out of 30. Applications must pass both individual and overall thresholds. A jury will formally evaluate applications, with a pre-selection if there are more than 500 applications in a category. Up to six best-ranked applications in each category will be invited for a hearing with the jury. The awarding authority will decide on the prize award based on the jury's evaluation and mandatory checks (ethics review, security scrutiny, legal entity validation, non-exclusion, double funding, and plagiarism).

The indicative timeline includes a submission deadline of September 25, 2025, evaluation from October 2025 to February 2026, and information on results and awards from February to May 2026.

Prize winners must promote the prize and its results, acknowledging EU support and displaying the European flag and funding statement. The awarding authority has the right to use non-sensitive information relating to the prize for communication purposes. Checks, audits, and investigations may be carried out by relevant EU bodies. The awarding authority may withdraw the prize if false information was used, winners were ineligible, or winners breached their obligations.

The European Prize for Women Innovators is a prestigious award that recognizes and supports women who are driving innovation and entrepreneurship in Europe. It aims to increase public awareness of the contributions of women in the innovation ecosystem and inspire future generations of female leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. By providing financial support and visibility to these women, the prize helps to foster a more inclusive and diverse innovation landscape in the EU and associated countries.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicants are women (natural persons) who are founders or co-founders of a company or organization. Applicants to the Rising Innovators category must be aged under 35 at the start of the call year. Applicants to the EIT category must have a direct link to the EIT Community or to one of the existing Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). Self-employment is not acceptable. Joint applications by a group of applicants are not accepted. Applicants from the same organization must apply separately.

Funding Type: This is a recognition prize.

Consortium Requirement: Single. Joint applications are not accepted. Applicants from the same organization must apply separately.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States, including overseas countries and territories (OCTs), and countries associated to Horizon Europe.

Target Sector: The program targets all sectors where women entrepreneurs are driving disruptive innovations. Specific mention is made of deep-tech and Science Technology Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) fields.

Mentioned Countries: EU Member States, countries associated to Horizon Europe, and overseas countries and territories (OCTs) are mentioned. Hungary is mentioned in the context of EU conditionality measures. Brussels is mentioned as the location for hearings.

Project Stage: The project stage is variable, but the company or organization must be registered or incorporated at least two years before the call year (before 1 January 2023). The focus is on recognizing existing achievements and the potential of women innovators.

Funding Amount: For the Rising Innovators category, the prize is EUR 100,000. For the Women Innovators category, the prize is EUR 220,000. There are three prizes in each category.

Application Type: Open call.

Nature of Support: Money. The winners receive prize money.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage. If there are more than 500 applications in a category, a pre-selection will occur to reduce the number to 500 for jury review. Up to six of the best-ranked applications in each category will be invited for a hearing with the jury.

Success Rates: Not specified, but the process includes pre-selection if applications exceed 500 in a category, suggesting a competitive process. Only the top three in each category receive a prize.

Co-funding Requirement: No co-funding is required.

Summary:

The European Prize for Women Innovators is a Horizon Europe initiative designed to celebrate and support women entrepreneurs who are driving disruptive innovation across the EU and associated countries. The prize aims to increase public awareness of the contributions of women to the innovation ecosystem and to inspire more women to become innovators. The prize is awarded annually and is jointly organized by the Agency and the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT).

There are three categories: the Women Innovators category and the Rising Innovators category, both funded by the EIC, and the EIT Women Leadership category funded by the EIT. However, the rules of contest apply to both the EIC and EIT prize categories. The prize is open to women who are founders or co-founders of companies or organizations established in an EU Member State or a country associated with Horizon Europe. The company must be registered at least two years before the call year. Applicants for the Rising Innovators category must be under 35 years old at the start of the call year, and applicants for the EIT category must have a direct link to the EIT Community.

The application process is electronic and involves submitting an application form, a technical description of the application (Part B, limited to 15 pages), and a mandatory inspiring video message (no more than 90 seconds). The applications are evaluated based on three criteria: breakthrough innovation, impact, and inspiration. A jury assesses the applications, and up to six finalists in each category may be invited for a hearing. The top three applicants in each category receive a prize: EUR 100,000 for the Rising Innovators category and EUR 220,000 for the Women Innovators category.

The deadline for submission is 25 September 2025. The evaluation will take place between October 2025 and February 2026, and the results will be announced between February and May 2026. The prize winners are expected to promote the prize and its results, acknowledging EU support in their communication activities. The awarding authority retains the right to use non-sensitive information and materials from the winners for communication and publicity purposes. The awarding authority may withdraw the prize if false information, fraud, or a breach of obligations is discovered.