The European Prize for Women Innovators

The European Prize for Women Innovators is a Horizon Europe recognition prize run by the European Innovation Council and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology that rewards women founders or co‑founders whose ventures deliver breakthrough innovation, measurable impact and inspirational leadership. The prize has three categories (Women Innovators, Rising Innovators under 35, and EIT Women Leadership) with ranked awards up to €100,000, €50,000 and €50,000 respectively, paid after mandatory checks and an award ceremony. Applications must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using the Part A/Part B templates, include a 90‑second video, and meet residency, founding and documentation validation requirements. Eligible applications are evaluated by an independent jury against breakthrough innovation, impact and inspiration with minimum scoring thresholds and potential jury hearings for shortlisted finalists; the 2027 call opens 2 September 2026 and closes 1 December 2026 at 17:00 CET.

What it funds

Purpose and prize structure

A recognition prize under Horizon Europe celebrating women entrepreneurs who have turned ideas into disruptive innovations. The contest has three categories: Women Innovators, Rising Innovators (under 35) and EIT Women Leadership. Winners are selected by an independent jury and prize money is paid after the award ceremony.

Key dates:Opening 02 September 2026. Submission deadline 01 December 2026, 17:00 CET. Evaluation and award notifications April–June 2027 ¹.

1. 1Who can apply: natural persons who are women, legally resident in an EU Member State (including OCTs) or a Horizon Europe associated country, and founder or co‑founder of a company/organisation registered at least one year before the call year.
2. 2Category specifics: Rising Innovators applicants must be under 35 at the start of the call year; EIT category applicants must show a direct link to the EIT Community.
3. 3How to apply: single-stage electronic submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Applications include Part A, Part B (max 15 pages for prize forms unless otherwise noted), mandatory 90-second inspirational video (max 100 MB) and supporting annexes; applicants register as natural persons and obtain a PIC.

Evaluation is by jury against three criteria:breakthrough innovation, impact and inspiration. Individual and overall score thresholds apply; up to six top applicants per category may be invited to a hearing. Joint or group applications are not allowed; only one application per person and category is permitted.

Footnotes

1. 1Full Rules of Contest, eligibility details and submission instructions are on the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page and in the call document Rules of Contest.

Summary

The European Prize for Women Innovators is an annual Horizon Europe recognition prize organised by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) in coordination with the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT). It celebrates women entrepreneurs who have transformed ideas into disruptive innovations that benefit people and the planet, and who act as inspiring leaders and role models to stimulate more women and girls to pursue innovation, science and entrepreneurship. The 2027 edition is open for submission from 02 September 2026 and closes on 01 December 2026 17:00 CET (Brussels). Applications are submitted online through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The prize comprises three categories: Women Innovators, Rising Innovators (under 35), both funded by the EIC, and EIT Women Leadership funded by the EIT. The Rules of Contest and detailed administrative and evaluation rules apply to all categories ¹.

Eligible Applicant Types

Eligible applicants are individual natural persons (women) who are founders or co‑founders of a company or organisation that is established and registered in an EU Member State (including overseas countries and territories) or a country associated to Horizon Europe. The call explicitly excludes joint/group applications; each applicant must apply as a single natural person. The prize targets persons acting as founders/co‑founders of: SMEs, start‑ups, private companies, research organisations or other organisations that meet the registration and establishment rules. Applicants to the EIT category must demonstrate a direct link to the EIT Community. Rising Innovators applicants must be aged under 35 at the start of the call year. Applicants who have already received an EU or Euratom prize cannot receive a second prize for the same activities.

Funding Type and Nature of Support

Funding Type:Recognition prize (monetary award) under Horizon Europe; the legal instrument is HORIZON Recognition Prize (HORIZON-RPr) and the Type of MGA is HORIZON Prize (HORIZON-PR).

Nature of Support:Monetary payments to the winners after the award ceremony, conditional on submission of requested documentation. Winners also receive visibility and dissemination support; non-financial obligations include publicity, promotion, and use of EU emblem and funding statement.

Consortium Requirement

Single applicant required. The applicant must be a natural person applying individually. Joint or group applications are explicitly not accepted and will be rejected as ineligible. Applicants from the same organisation must apply separately.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility) and Mentioned Countries

Eligibility is limited to natural persons who legally reside in an EU Member State (including overseas countries and territories — OCTs) or a country associated to Horizon Europe. The company/organisation founded or co‑founded by the applicant must be established and registered in an EU Member State (including OCTs) or a Horizon Europe associated country. The Rules of Contest reference Annex B of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes for detailed lists and mention that some non-associated third countries may provide national co‑funding arrangements in line with the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. In short: primary geographic scope = EU Member States + Horizon Europe Associated Countries.

Target Sector

The prize is sector‑agnostic within the innovation ecosystem but emphasizes innovations that are breakthrough, transformative and/or deep tech across STEM fields and other sectors where women entrepreneurs have produced disruptive market solutions. Keywords and thematic focus from the call: gender in innovation development, innovation and diversity (gender), innovation policy, SME and start‑up support, and DeepTech/STEM fields. The call invites applicants across all sectors provided they can demonstrate breakthrough innovation, societal or environmental impact, and inspirational leadership.

Project Stage and Expected Maturity

Applicants should be founders or co‑founders of companies/organisations that have transformed ideas into deployed or market‑oriented innovations. The prize targets innovations that are demonstrated, scaled or commercially active rather than purely conceptual research: typical maturity is development, demonstration, commercialization and market‑uptake. The award criterion explicitly targets breakthrough innovation in DeepTech/STEM and measurable socio‑economic or environmental impact.

Funding Amount and Budget Overview

Total budget and prize distribution are organised per category. The call reserves the right not to award prizes depending on the applications and evaluation results.

Application Type and Submission Method

Single-stage open call. Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System. Paper submissions are not accepted. Applicants must register as a natural person in the Participant Register and obtain a PIC (participant identification code) before the call deadline and be validated by the Central Validation Service (REA Validation).

Application Deadlines and Timeline

1. 1Call opening date: 02 September 2026
2. 2Submission deadline: 01 December 2026 at 17:00 CET (Brussels)
3. 3Evaluation period: December 2026 – April 2027
4. 4Information on results and awards: April – June 2027
5. 5Potential jury hearings: invited shortlisted finalists (up to six per category), hearings in Brussels (may be remote)

Application Content, Forms and Templates

Applications consist of:Part A (administrative data, completed directly online in the portal), Part B (technical description), and mandatory annexes. Part B must use the portal template, is limited to a maximum of 15 pages (except in special circumstances for other Horizon work programme calls noted elsewhere) and must be uploaded as a PDF. Specific mandatory annexes include proof of age for Rising Innovators, proof of EIT community link for the EIT category, and an inspiring video message (maximum 90 seconds, maximum 100 MB) uploaded as a .zip file. Applicants must ensure readability, accessibility and printable formatting. The portal templates and examples are available in the Submission System and Reference Documents.

Application structure (practical outline):1. Part A: Administrative information (natural person PIC, contact details, residency) 2. Part B: Technical description (innovation description, business/market evidence, impact, leadership and gender actions, IP status, risk assessment) 3. Annexes: Video (90s), proof of company registration and founding date, proof of age (Rising Innovators), proof of EIT link (EIT category), any declarations requested during validation (bank account, declaration of honour, etc.).

Award Criteria, Scoring and Thresholds

Applications that meet admissibility and eligibility will be evaluated by an independent expert jury against three award criteria. Each criterion has individual minimum pass thresholds and a combined overall pass threshold. The jury bases assessment on Parts A and B and the video message.

1. 1Breakthrough innovation (criterion 1): demonstration that the company/organisation founded or co‑founded by the applicant develops a breakthrough innovation, including DeepTech/STEM focus. Score range 0–10; minimum pass 6.
2. 2Impact (criterion 2): relevance to a real need or challenge, socio‑economic and/or environmental benefits, current performance and growth metrics (wellbeing, education, profit, job creation). Score range 0–10; minimum pass 6.
3. 3Inspiration (criterion 3): applicant’s leadership and role‑modeling, promotion of gender balance and contributions to gender‑responsive innovation (access to finance, networks, education, product design). Score range 0–10; minimum pass 6.

Overall maximum score = 30. Overall minimum pass = 18 (sum of the three individual minimums). Applications must pass the three individual thresholds and the overall threshold. Prizes awarded to the top‑ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd applications in each category. Ties are resolved by weighted priority (criterion 2 weighted by 2 and criterion 3 by 1.5) in pre‑selection; remaining ties advance to next evaluation phase or hearings and, if unresolved for a rank, prize money may be equally divided among tied applicants.

Evaluation Process and Stages

Single-stage submission with formal admissibility and eligibility checks followed by jury evaluation. If more than 500 applications are received in a category, a pre‑selection panel will select the best 500 to pass to the jury; otherwise all eligible applications go to jury review. Up to six highest-ranked applicants per category may be invited to hearings with the jury. Mandatory checks after jury evaluation include ethics review, security scrutiny, legal entity validation, non‑exclusion verification, double funding checks and plagiarism checks. Applicants receive an evaluation result letter; winners are awarded after mandatory checks and the award ceremony. Complaints procedures are available per the evaluation result letter deadlines.

Application Stages (summary):1 stage: Single-stage submission -> admissibility & eligibility checks -> jury evaluation (after possible pre-selection) -> hearings for shortlisted finalists -> mandatory compliance checks -> award decision and communication of results.

Success Rates

Success rates depend on the number of eligible submissions per category and vary annually. The prize awards three winners per category (three categories highlighted), so the nominal number of awarded prizes per year is typically nine across the three categories. If applications exceed 500 per category, pre‑selection limits jury review to 500 per category, reducing selection probability. No fixed overall success rate is provided in the call documents; applicants should assume high competition and prepare high‑quality submissions that clearly meet thresholds.

Co‑funding Requirement

No co‑funding by the applicant is required to receive the prize. However, winners must submit requested documents (e.g. bank account validation) for payment. The prize is a lump monetary award and does not operate under a cost‑sharing grant model; applicants must, however, ensure that the activities for which they claim recognition are not receiving double funding from the EU budget for the same activities.

Legal, Financial and Administrative Conditions

Applicants must:be women applying as natural persons; legally reside in eligible countries; be founders or co‑founders of the company/organisation established and registered at least one year before the call year (company registration before 1 January 2025 for this call); register in the Participant Register as natural persons and obtain and validate a PIC; not have already received an EU or Euratom prize for the same activities; and be able to provide proof of eligibility upon request. Applicants must comply with ethical standards, EU values and security rules. Exclusion rules apply for bankruptcy, fraud, serious misconduct, breaches of public procurement or other EU financial offences, and entities subject to EU restrictive or conditionality measures. The awarding authority and EU oversight bodies may carry out checks, audits and investigations and may withdraw prizes and recover payments where false information, eligibility breaches or serious obligation breaches are found.

Communication, Dissemination and Visibility Requirements

Prize winners must promote the prize and its results to multiple audiences. All communication must acknowledge EU support, display the European emblem and include the funding statement and disclaimer. The emblem must be used without modification and not claimed for exclusive use. Communication must be factually accurate and must include the required EU disclaimers (EISMEA and EIT versions as applicable). The awarding authority retains the right to use non‑sensitive materials provided by the winners for dissemination and publicity. Photos and videos taken by the awarding authority during award preparations and ceremonies are the property of the awarding authority.

Intellectual Property Rights

The awarding authority does not acquire ownership of results. Winners retain ownership of their results and IPR. The awarding authority has the right to use non‑sensitive information and materials submitted by winners for information, communication and publicity purposes.

Checks, Audits, Withdrawal and Recovery

The awarding authority, the European Commission, OLAF, EPPO and the European Court of Auditors may conduct audits, checks and investigations. The awarding authority may withdraw the prize and recover payments if false information, fraud, ineligibility, exclusion grounds or serious breaches of obligations are discovered.

Practical Recommendations and Key Points for Applicants

1. 1Register early: create EU Login and register as a natural person in the Participant Register to receive and validate a PIC before the call deadline.
2. 2Eligibility proof: prepare company registration documents demonstrating establishment at least one year before the call year and proof of legal residence.
3. 3Video: prepare an inspiring video of maximum 90 seconds, under 100 MB, zipped for upload.
4. 4Part B content: explicitly address the three award criteria (Breakthrough innovation, Impact, Inspiration) and provide evidence, metrics, business indicators, and examples of leadership and gender‑responsive initiatives.
5. 5Business evidence: include market evidence, commercial traction, growth indicators, and any relevant third‑party validation; for Rising Innovators include age proof.
6. 6Compliance: ensure ethical compliance and be prepared for possible ethics review and additional validation steps (bank account, legal validation).
7. 7Communications: plan visibility activities aligned with EU dissemination rules and the mandatory disclaimer and emblem usage.

Applicants should consult the Rules of Contest and the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual for the exact application templates, submission procedures and full legal requirements. Deadlines are strict; do not wait until the last minute to submit. Additional support resources include the Online Manual, National Contact Points, Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk and European IPR Helpdesk.

Where to apply and supporting documentation:Apply through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal via the topic page HORIZON-EIC. Use the application forms inside the Submission System (Part A online, Part B template uploaded as PDF) and consult the Call Rules of Contest, the Horizon Europe Programme Guide and Reference Documents available on the Portal for templates and guidance ¹.

Comprehensive Answers to Categorisation Questions

Eligible Applicant Types:Natural person women who are founders or co‑founders of an eligible company or organisation. This covers founders/co‑founders of SMEs, start‑ups, private companies, research organisations or other established organisations registered in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe associated country. Applicants to EIT category require a direct link to the EIT Community. Joint/group or legal‑entity applications are not permitted.

Funding Type:Recognition prize; monetary award paid after the award ceremony. Legal instrument: HORIZON Recognition Prize with HORIZON-PR model.

Consortium Requirement:Single applicant only (natural person).

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EU Member States (including OCTs) and countries associated to Horizon Europe. Some third countries may participate under specific national arrangements; see the Horizon Europe Programme Guide for details.

Target Sector:Broad across innovation and STEM; emphasis on breakthrough DeepTech/STEM, disruptive innovations with socio‑economic or environmental benefit and clear inspirational leadership and gender impact.

Mentioned Countries:The call text refers generally to EU Member States, overseas countries and territories (OCTs) and Horizon Europe Associated Countries; no single country list is enumerated in the topic text but Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes provides the detailed eligible country list ¹.

Project Stage:Development, demonstration, commercialization and scale/market‑uptake are expected. The prize recognises women who have transformed ideas into market‑facing innovations.

Funding Amount:Women Innovators category: prizes of €100,000 / 70,000 / 50,000 (three winners). Rising Innovators category: prizes of €50,000 / 30,000 / 20,000 (three winners). EIT Women Leadership: prizes of €50,000 / 30,000 / 20,000 (three winners). Total indicative budgets per topic in 2026: €220,000 for EIC Women Innovators line and €100,000 for Rising Innovators line; additional separate EIT budget applies for the EIT category. Exact budgets and number of prizes are in the call’s budget overview.

Application Type:Open single‑stage call, submitted via the Funding & Tenders Portal electronic submission system.

Nature of Support:Monetary awards (money) plus visibility and communications obligations (non‑monetary services in the form of promotional visibility and access to EIC/EIT networks may follow but are not guaranteed as part of the prize rules).

Application Stages:Single submission stage with subsequent evaluation steps including possible pre‑selection (if >500 applications), jury evaluation, hearings for shortlisted finalists, and mandatory compliance checks before awarding. Overall, the selection process involves multiple procedural steps but only one submission stage.

Success Rates:Not specified. Only three winners per category are awarded annually; competition is typically strong. If more than 500 applications are received, a pre‑selection reduces the candidates to 500 for jury review in that category, reducing the effective success rate.

Co‑funding Requirement:No co‑funding is required to participate or to receive the prize. However, winners may need to demonstrate that activities are not double‑funded by the EU budget and must provide requested administrative documents for payment.

Templates and Application Form Structure

Application templates are provided inside the Submission System. Do not use copies from the topic page for submission; only use the forms available within the Portal Submission System. The standard structure applicants must follow is:

1. 1Part A: Online administrative section (natural person PIC, contact details, residence, company details and founding information).
2. 2Part B: Technical description uploaded as PDF using the mandatory template from the Submission System; content must address award criteria and fit within the page limit (Part B limited to 15 pages).
3. 3Annexes: Uploaded templates (video zipped file up to 100 MB, proof of age for Rising Innovators as PDF, proof of direct link to EIT Community for the EIT category, company registration documents proving incorporation at least one year before the call year, and any additional requested validation documents).

Part B recommended content outline (applicants should ensure evidence‑based and concise answers aligned with evaluation criteria):

• Executive summary and short description of the innovation and the applicant’s role (founder/co‑founder).
• Breakthrough innovation: technical description, novelty vs state of the art, TRL/maturity, key technology components, IP status and competitive advantages.
• Impact: target market and users, measurable outcomes to date (sales, deployments, pilots, revenue, jobs), socio‑economic and environmental benefits, scalability and growth indicators.
• Business and market evidence: business model, customer validation, traction, partnerships, and a short business plan or commercialization pathway summary.
• Inspiration and leadership: applicant’s role in the organisation, leadership activities, examples of promoting gender balance and inclusion, outreach, mentoring and contributions to a gender‑responsive innovation ecosystem.
• Risks and mitigation: ethical considerations, regulatory pathway, critical risks and mitigation measures.
• Annex references: company registration date, proof of founding, age proof (if applicable), EIT link (if applicable).

Applicants must ensure the Part B PDF is accessible, printable and respects the page and formatting limits. The video must complement the written submission and illustrate the applicant’s achievements and inspirational impact.

Long General Summary: What is this opportunity about and how to explain it

The European Prize for Women Innovators is a high‑visibility European recognition prize that rewards women entrepreneurs who have played a leading role in creating and scaling disruptive innovations with clear societal and environmental benefits. It aims to create role models and to increase public awareness of women’s contributions to innovation ecosystems, thereby encouraging more women and girls to engage in science, technology and entrepreneurship. The prize is open to women who apply as natural persons and who are founders or co‑founders of a company/organisation established in the EU or countries associated to Horizon Europe; applicants must provide proof of residence and of company founding/registration. The competition uses a single‑stage submission system on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, evaluates applications against three criteria (Breakthrough innovation, Impact, Inspiration) with strict minimum thresholds, and awards monetary prizes to the top three ranked applicants in each of the three categories: Women Innovators, Rising Innovators (under 35) and EIT Women Leadership. Winners must comply with visibility and dissemination obligations, allow the awarding authority to use non‑sensitive materials for promotion, and may be subject to audits and validations prior to payment. The prize offers a combination of monetary support and elevated public recognition; applicants should present clear evidence of innovation novelty, measurable impact and leadership that promotes gender equality in innovation. For precise application templates, submission procedures, eligibility tables and legal references consult the Rules of Contest and the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual before submitting. The portal topic page provides the submission entry point and links to the reference documentation ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Call Rules of Contest, application templates and all legal and procedural references are available in the call documentation on the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page for HORIZON-EIC: ec.europa.eu

This is a Horizon Europe recognition prize that rewards women innovators whose ventures create breakthrough solutions and measurable impact. The 2027 edition is run by the European Innovation Council and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, opens on 2 September 2026, and closes on 1 December 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.[1][2][3]

Purpose and policy context

The prize is designed to raise public awareness of the contribution of women to the EU innovation ecosystem and to create strong role models for women and girls in science, technology and entrepreneurship. Applications are assessed by an independent expert jury against breakthrough innovation, impact and inspiration.[2][3]

Who can apply

• The applicant must be a woman applying as a natural person, not as a legal entity.[1][3]
• The applicant must be legally residing in an EU Member State, including overseas countries and territories, or in a country associated to Horizon Europe.[1][3]
• The applicant must be the founder or co-founder of the company or organisation, and that company or organisation must be established in an eligible country and registered or incorporated at least two years before the call year.[3]
• Applicants who have already received an EU or Euratom prize cannot receive a second prize for the same activities.[1][3]
• Applicants for the Rising Innovators category must be under 35 at the start of the call year.[1][3]
• Applicants for the EIT category must have a direct link to the EIT Community.[1][3]
• Joint applications are not accepted, and applicants eligible for more than one category may apply to only one category; if multiple applications are submitted, only the latest one is considered.[1]
• Applicants must register in the Participant Register before the deadline and may be asked to provide validation documents showing legal status as a natural person and origin.[1]

In practical terms, the opportunity is best suited to women founders or co-founders of innovative companies or organisations in the EU or Horizon Europe associated countries, especially those leading deep-tech, STEM or high-impact ventures with strong evidence of leadership and role-model potential.[1][2][3]

Prizes and award amounts

The official prize page shows three award levels in each category. The Women Innovators category awards €100,000, €70,000 and €50,000; the Rising Innovators category awards €50,000, €30,000 and €20,000; and the EIT Women Leadership category awards €50,000, €30,000 and €20,000.[1][2][3]

Application requirements

1. 1Applications must be submitted electronically through the Funding and Tenders Portal; paper submissions are not possible.[1]
2. 2Applicants must use the portal forms, with Part A completed online and Part B completed from the template, assembled and reuploaded.[1]
3. 3Each application must include an inspiring video message of no more than 90 seconds and no more than 100 MB, uploaded as a zip file annex.[1]
4. 4Part B is limited to a maximum of 15 pages, and evaluators will not consider additional pages.[1]
5. 5Rising Innovators applicants must include proof of age.[1]
6. 6The application must be readable, accessible and printable, and additional documents may later be requested for validation, ethics review or related checks.[1]

Evaluation and selection

1. 1Eligible applications are evaluated on breakthrough innovation, impact and inspiration.[1][3]
2. 2Each criterion is scored out of 10, with an individual minimum threshold of 6 points and an overall minimum threshold of 18 points out of 30.[1]
3. 3The prizes are awarded to the first, second and third ranked applications in each category, subject to mandatory checks.[1]
4. 4If a category receives more than 500 applications, a pre-selection stage reduces the pool to the best 500 applications before jury review.[1]
5. 5Up to six best ranked applications in each category are invited to a hearing with the jury in Brussels, which may take place remotely.[1]
6. 6If applications are tied, criterion 2 is weighted at 2 and criterion 3 at 1.5 for priority ordering.[1]

Timeline and post-award obligations

The submission deadline is 1 December 2026 at 17:00 CET, evaluation runs from December 2026 to April 2027, and results and award information are expected from April to June 2027.[1][3] Prize money is paid after the award ceremony, once all requested documents have been submitted.[1]

• Winners must promote the prize and acknowledge EU support in communications, including the required emblem and funding statement.[1]
• The required disclaimer must be used in communication materials, and the emblem must remain distinct and not be modified.[1]
• The awarding authority does not take ownership of the results, but may use non-sensitive information and materials from winners for communication and dissemination purposes.[1]
• EU bodies may carry out checks, audits and investigations, and the prize can be withdrawn and recovered if false information, fraud, ineligibility or serious breaches are discovered.[1]