Women Leadership Category

Horizon Europe recognition prize:the European Prize for Women Innovators — Women Leadership category awards outstanding women founders/co‑founders with a direct link to the EIT Community for breakthrough innovation, measurable impact and inspirational leadership. Applicants must apply as natural persons, be legally resident in an EU Member State or Horizon-associated country, and submit Part A, Part B (max 15 pages) and a 90-second video electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal. The call is planned to open 2 September 2026 with a submission deadline of 1 December 2026 (17:00 Brussels time), the total topic budget is €100,000 and three prizes of €50,000, €30,000 and €20,000 are foreseen.

What it funds

Recognition prize for women founders/co‑founders of innovative organisations

A Horizon Europe Recognition Prize that awards outstanding women founders or co‑founders who have developed breakthrough innovations and act as inspiring role models for the EU innovation ecosystem.

Funding range:Indicative prizes: €20,000 to €50,000 per award; total topic budget €100,000; typically three prizes awarded.

Who can apply

Natural persons who are women (cis or legally recognised transgender women) and founders or co‑founders of a company or organisation established and registered in an EU Member State, OCT or a country associated to Horizon Europe. Applicants must be legally resident in an eligible country and apply as a natural person with a personal PIC validated in the Participant Register. Joint/group applications are not accepted.

1. 1Applicant: natural person who is a woman and founder or co‑founder of the company/organisation
2. 2Company/organisation: established and registered in an EU Member State, OCT or Horizon‑associated country at least one year before the call year (registered before 1 January 2025)
3. 3Special category rules: EIC Rising Innovators category is limited to applicants under 35 (born on or after 1 January 1991); EIT category requires proof of a direct link to the EIT Community
4. 4Applicants who already received an EU/Euratom prize cannot receive a second prize for the same activities

Practical requirements & application

Applications submitted only electronically through the Funding & Tenders Portal submission system using Portal forms. Part B (technical description) limited to 15 pages. Applicants must upload a mandatory inspiring video (max 90 seconds, max 100 MB, zipped). Additional documents may be requested during checks (legal validation, bank details, declarations, ethics).

Evaluation

A jury evaluates admissible and eligible applications against three criteria:Breakthrough innovation, Impact and Inspiration. Individual thresholds (6/10 per criterion) and overall pass score (18/30) apply. Top three ranked applicants in each category are awarded; short‑listing and hearings may be used when required.

How to apply and where to get details

Apply via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal submission system on the topic page. Full call documentation, rules of the contest and model templates are on the Portal topic page and the Prize website.

Topic page:EU Funding & Tenders Portal — Women Leadership Category

Footnotes

1. 1Applicants must consult the full topic text and submission forms on the Funding & Tenders Portal. The Portal contains all official requirements, templates and legal conditions.

Call Overview and Context

This document synthesises and restructures the Horizon Europe Cluster 3:Civil Security for Society Work Programme content for the 2026 and 2027 calls. It presents key administrative facts, eligibility and participation rules, topic-level objectives, expected outcomes, award modalities, evaluation and follow-up processes, and guidance on practitioner involvement and uptake. The material summarises topics across the Destination Better protect the EU and its citizens against Crime and Terrorism; Effective management of EU external borders; Resilient Infrastructure; Disaster-Resilient Society for Europe; and Strengthened Security Research and Innovation. The call series includes single-stage and two-stage topics and specific partly prescriptive innovation procurement actions (PCP/PPI) and Innovation Actions (IA), Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Coordination & Support Actions (CSA).

Administrative snapshot (selected key facts)

Programme:Horizon Europe (2021-2027). Cluster: Civil Security for Society (Cluster 3). Main call windows covered: 2026 single-stage and 2027 single-stage two-stage calls as published on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Funding modalities in topics: RIA, IA, CSA, PCP and PPI. Typical project Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) targeted: from TRL 4-5 up to TRL 6-8 depending on topic. Funding mechanism: lump sum options applied for many topics (per the simplified costs decision). Deadlines are those published per topic (2026 calls opened May 2026; deadlines range in Nov 2026; 2027 calls opened May 2027; deadlines range Nov 2027).

Primary objective:Develop, validate and accelerate uptake of civilian security innovations and research to prevent, detect, investigate and mitigate crime, terrorism, border security threats, disasters and related harms while safeguarding democratic values, the rule of law and fundamental rights.

Topics and Thematic Scope (summary)

Selected topics in the 2026-2027 Cluster 3 calls included (representative, not exhaustive):improving law enforcement capabilities to counter climate-driven crime; preventing misuse of emerging technologies and lawful data access challenges; missing persons prevention and investigative tools; nexus between addictions and crime; counter-terrorism and protection of confined spaces such as schools; synthetic biology misuse and bioterrorism prevention; advanced border surveillance and trusted travel credentials; stress-testing critical infrastructure and greening/green transition security risks; disaster preparedness, multi-hazard and cascading impacts; innovative tools for search-and-rescue and responder protection; demand-led innovation procurement for security; and measures to accelerate SME uptake of security innovations. Many topics call for Police Authorities and other security practitioners as active partners and validation stakeholders, and several topics explicitly require multi-country practitioner involvement.

What this opportunity funds (nature of support and funding type)

Primary funding types are grant-based Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA), Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) and specific procurement-driven actions (Pre-Commercial Procurement PCP; Public Procurement for Innovative solutions PPI). Many topics use lump sums as the eligible cost modality per the Commission Simplified Costs Decision; some topics specify funding rates and TRL targets. The programme funds both monetary support and non-monetary support via technical validation and practitioner-driven uptake pathways.

Indicative funding scale per topic:Typical topic contribution ranges vary by topic: common topic ranges in these calls were €3 million to €9 million per selected project. Example: many Fighting Crime and Terrorism topics indicated €3.5–€4.0 million; several Innovation Actions (border surveillance, resilient infrastructure) targeted €4–€6 million. Overall call-level indicative budgets: 2026 call ≈ €131 million; 2027 call ≈ €129.5 million (distributed by topic).

Applicant profile and eligible applicant types

This Work Programme is open to a wide range of applicants. Commonly eligible and typical participants (per topic) include: Police Authorities, national law enforcement and security bodies, customs and border guard authorities, universities and research organisations, technology providers and integrators (including SMEs), large enterprises, forensic laboratories, civil protection and first responders, NGOs and civil society organisations, public authorities, local and regional governments, healthcare and social services where relevant, and training organisations. Certain topics explicitly require the participation of Police Authorities and/or Civil Society Organisations as beneficiaries. Some topics permit or encourage participation of private sector R&D providers, system integrators and startups.

1. 1Eligible applicant types: Police Authorities, Border and Customs Authorities, research institutions and universities, SMEs, large enterprises, public administrations, forensic institutes, civil protection organisations, first responders, NGOs and CSOs, training providers, and other relevant practitioners.
2. 2Applicants must meet general Horizon Europe eligibility rules in General Annex B (legal status, non-exclusion, registration in Participant Register, PIC where applicable).
3. 3Certain topics restrict participation of entities established in China in IAs and RIAs per General Annex B eligibility restrictions; check topic-specific statements.
4. 4For topics requiring Police Authorities or other practitioners, these must be included as beneficiaries and registered before the call deadline; the proposal must provide practitioner contact information and explain their role.

Consortium requirement and composition

Most topics require multi-partner consortia. Specific requirements are topic-dependent:some topics mandate minimum numbers of Police Authorities, cross-border participants (different EU Member States / Associated Countries), or involvement of Civil Society Organisations. Innovation Actions and PCP/PPI topics often require industry partners and end-user practitioners. Single-entity proposals are rare in this cluster; check topic-specific eligibility: e.g., several topics require at least two or three Police Authorities from different countries as beneficiaries.

Beneficiary scope (Geographic eligibility and participation)

Eligible applicants are generally from EU Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe. Some international cooperation with third countries is supported or encouraged (notably under disaster resilience and global commons topics), but check topic-specific statements. Special restrictions apply for legal entities established in China for certain Innovation Actions and RIAs (see General Annex B).

Target sectors and technical domains

Primary sectors targeted:internal security, policing, law enforcement, border management, critical infrastructure protection, civil protection and disaster management, cybersecurity, forensics, counter-terrorism, criminal justice, public safety, public health preparedness (biothreats), and the Cultural-creative intersection in resilience. Technical and technology focus areas include: digital forensics, AI-enabled detection and investigation tools, forensic genomics and biometrics, lawful data access methods, privacy-preserving data sharing, drone/UAS detection and countermeasures (C-UAS), sensors and situational awareness systems, IoT/OT security for infrastructure, search-and-rescue technologies, CBRN(E) protective equipment, synthetic biology detection and mitigation, green transition security implications, and secure travel credentials.

Project stage and expected maturity

Projects target a range of maturity levels depending on topic:exploratory and research activities (TRL 3–5) for foundational research; validation/demonstration and piloting (TRL 5–7) in real operational settings for many innovation actions; and deployment-ready or near-deployment work (TRL 6–8) for Innovation Actions and procurement-driven topics. Topic descriptions specify TRL targets (e.g., TRL 4–5, TRL 5, TRL 6–8).

Application modality and process

Applications are submitted electronically through the Funding & Tenders Portal using the official application forms and templates in the Submission System. Calls include single-stage and two-stage procedures (some topics have first stage outline and second-stage full proposals). Some topics involve procurement modalities (PCP, PPI) with separate award and procurement rules. Proposals may be required to include annexes such as security annexes for sensitive work and detailed practitioner involvement tables.

Timetable and evaluation:Typical evaluation timeline: call opens (May), submission deadline (varies: Apr/May to Sep/Nov), evaluation period (approx. 3–5 months), grant signature and start in the months following evaluation. Specific topics run single-stage or two-stage evaluations per the Work Programme.

Evaluation, award criteria and thresholds

Standard Horizon Europe evaluation criteria apply:Excellence, Impact, and Quality and Efficiency of Implementation. Topic-specific thresholds apply (commonly 4/5 per criterion with cumulative thresholds). Some topics add domain-specific evaluation aspects, such as practitioner validation plans, ethics and security compliance, feasibility for operational uptake, and measures for fundamental rights compliance and privacy-by-design.

Legal, security and ethics constraints

Proposals must comply with EU legal and ethical standards. Many topics produce sensitive results and may involve security handling requirements (EUCI, SEN) and possible classified material procedures; applicants must follow the security provisions in the General Annexes and be prepared for security screening and legal entity validation. For biological topics, Dual Use and biosafety/biosecurity obligations apply and an ethics review is expected.

Practitioner engagement, validation and uptake

A strong recurring requirement across Cluster 3 topics is early and continuous practitioner involvement (Police Authorities, first responders, border/customs authorities, Civil Protection). Projects are expected to incorporate: co-design with end users; mid-term practitioner assessment deliverables; real-world pilots and validations; sustainability and uptake strategies; and clear plans for standards alignment and potential public procurement or funding pathways for deployment. Engagement with EU agencies (Europol, Frontex, eu-LISA, EU Drugs Agency, CEPOL) is encouraged for validation and uptake when scopes overlap with their mandates. Projects should plan for exploitation, dissemination, and sustainability beyond project end.

Data, FAIR principles and research infrastructures

Projects are expected to follow FAIR data principles for research data when applicable. Where relevant, projects should consider leveraging European Research Infrastructures and the European Open Science Cloud for data storage, access and discipline-specific tools and services. Data-sharing must respect privacy and legal frameworks (GDPR) and security requirements for sensitive material.

Market uptake, procurement and support for SMEs

Cluster 3 has a strong emphasis on uptake:Innovation Actions and procurement-based topics (PCP/PPI) are designed to accelerate market-ready development and public-sector adoption. Applicants should explain commercialisation strategies, SME engagement, and how results could be taken up through public procurement, home-affairs funds (ISF/IBMF), Digital Europe and other EU instruments. Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) and PPI topics provide direct public procurement pathways.

1. 1Success rate: variable by topic and competition level; many topics have large applicant pools with a few awards per topic (indicative overall success rates range from single-digit to low double-digit percentages depending on topic competitiveness).
2. 2Application stages: topics are either single-stage or two-stage (1 or 2 stages).
3. 3Co-funding: direct co-funding typically not required for grants; however Innovation Actions and procurement projects must demonstrate beneficiary contributions and sustainability planning; PCP/PPI procurement stages involve contracting and cost sharing rules per procurement modality.
4. 4Ethics and security checks: mandatory and can delay award; ensure early planning for ethics approvals and for security clearances.

How applications are structured (templates and forms)

All proposals must be submitted via the Funding & Tenders Portal using the application form in the Submission System. Standard sections: Part A Administrative data; Part B Technical description (excellence, impact, implementation); Budget tables (if applicable); Security and ethics sections; Practitioner involvement annex or table (topic-specific templates) and, when required, clinical study templates or data management plans. For lump sum topics, applicants use the lump-sum template and describe deliverables and work packages tied to the lump sum milestones. For PCP/PPI topics follow the procurement-specific documentation and templates in the topic page and the model procurement timetable. Applicants are responsible for ensuring their submission is complete, readable and within page limits; many topics set maximum length and require video or demo annexes in limited formats.

Key applicant checklist:Register in the Participant Register and obtain PIC; confirm eligibility for topic (practitioner participation, cross-border requirements); prepare ethics, security and data management plans; include mandatory practitioner letters of commitment where required; ensure format and page limits; plan for mid-term practitioner validation deliverables; provide exploitation and uptake plan; follow the submission system templates.

Important operational notes for applicants

1) Police Authorities and other security practitioners should be included as beneficiaries when the topic mandates it and should be engaged from the start to co-design requirements, evaluation and validation. 2) If a topic touches bio or chemical threats, include biosafety and biosecurity expertise and plan ethics/biosecurity reviews early. 3) For AI, data, lawful access and digital evidence topics, include legal expertise for privacy and fundamental rights compliance and prepare for secure handling of sensitive datasets. 4) For procurement topics (PCP/PPI), consult the procurement-specific topic text and prepare for a phased procurement lifecycle in line with Commission procurement rules. 5) If you intend to use EU research infrastructures or Copernicus/Galileo services, describe interfacing plans in the technical annex.

• Do not include EU JHA agencies (Europol, Frontex, eu-LISA) as co-applicants during proposal preparation: they can observe and support awarded projects, but they must not participate in pre-award drafting.
• If the proposal involves police training, plan cooperation with CEPOL (if the Agency opts out from applying).
• Projects must respect the security provisions in the General Annexes when handling sensitive information.

Guidance on exploitation and sustainability

Applicants should provide concrete exploitation pathways, including validation routes with European practitioners and EU agencies, standards alignment, options for procurement-based scaling, and reference to funding streams for deployment (e.g., Internal Security Fund, IBMF, Digital Europe Programme, ERDF, InvestEU). Describe commercialisation strategies for SMEs and industry partners and the long-term maintenance and governance of tools and services (open source or licenced) and training curricula for practitioners.

Summary: What this opportunity is about and how it would help applicants

The Cluster 3 Civil Security for Society calls for 2026–2027 fund multidisciplinary research and innovation that responds directly to the most pressing security challenges facing the EU: crime and organised crime, terrorism, border management, critical infrastructure resilience, disaster preparedness and response, and cyber threats. The calls prioritise practitioner-driven research with strong Police Authority and first-responder involvement, demand- and capability-driven innovation, ethics and fundamental rights compliance, and pathways to rapid operational uptake and procurement. Applicants should present co-designed, operationally relevant solutions that are validated with practitioners in real-world or simulated environments, incorporate social sciences and legal expertise where needed, and demonstrate credible plans for sustainability, exploitation and scaling within EU funding and procurement frameworks.

This synthesis is based on the Horizon Europe Funding & Tenders Portal call pages for Cluster 3: Civil Security for Society work programme part 2026-2027. Applicants must consult the official call page, topic texts and application templates on the Funding & Tenders Portal for the authoritative requirements and forms before preparing any submission.

This opportunity is a Horizon Europe recognition prize under the European Prize for Women Innovators. The Women Leadership category rewards exceptional women leaders from the EIT Community whose work demonstrates breakthrough innovation, clear impact, and inspirational leadership for the EU innovation ecosystem.[1][13]

Key opportunity facts

What the funding is about

The prize is designed to increase public awareness of the contribution of women to innovation in the EU and to create strong role models that inspire more women to become innovators. For this category, the focus is specifically on women with a direct link to the EIT Community.[1][13]

Who can apply

• Applicants must be women and must apply as natural persons, not as legal entities.[1]
• Applicants must be legally residing in an EU Member State, including overseas countries and territories, or in a country associated to Horizon Europe.[1]
• Applicants must be founders or co-founders of the company or organisation.[1]
• The company or organisation must be established in an EU Member State, including overseas countries and territories, or in a country associated to Horizon Europe, and must have been registered or incorporated at least one year before the call year, meaning before 1 January 2025 for this call.[1]
• Applicants for this category must have a direct link to the EIT Community and should be ready to provide proof on request.[1]
• Applicants who have already received an EU or Euratom prize cannot receive a second prize for the same activities.[1]
• Joint applications are not allowed. If several applications are submitted under different prize categories, only the latest one is considered and the others are rejected as ineligible.[1]

Applicants must register in the Participant Register before the deadline and will be validated as natural persons by the Central Validation Service. Self-employment is not acceptable for eligibility purposes, and applicants must be able to show the required legal and eligibility evidence if asked.[1]

What must be submitted

• Application Form Part A, completed online with administrative information about the applicant as a natural person.[1]
• Application Form Part B, containing the technical description and limited to 15 pages maximum.[1]
• An inspiring video message of no more than 90 seconds, uploaded as a zip file and not exceeding 100 MB.[1]
• Proof of link to the EIT Community for applicants in this category.[1]
• Applications must be complete, readable, accessible, printable, and submitted electronically. Paper submissions are not accepted.[1]

Evaluation criteria and scoring

To pass, applications must meet both the individual thresholds and the overall threshold. The jury evaluates the application on the basis of Parts A and B and the video, and the prize is awarded to the first, second, and third ranked applications in the category.[1]

The breakthrough innovation criterion looks at whether the company or organisation is developing a genuinely breakthrough solution, including in deeptech and STEM fields. Impact considers whether the innovation addresses a real need with significant benefits for people or the planet. Inspiration focuses on the applicant as a leader and role model who empowers other women and girls and promotes gender balance and gender responsive innovation.[1]

Selection process

Applications are formally evaluated by a jury. If a category receives more than 500 applications, a pre selection stage reduces the pool to the best 500 before jury review. Up to six best ranked applications may be invited to a hearing in Brussels, which may also take place remotely.[1]

For tie breaking, criterion 2 is weighted by 2 and criterion 3 by 1.5. If ties remain after the jury review, the tied applications are admitted to the hearings. If prize ranks are still tied, the relevant prize amount is split equally among the tied applications.[1]

Final award decisions are taken only after mandatory checks, which can include ethics review, security scrutiny, legal entity validation, non exclusion checks, double funding checks, and plagiarism checks. Successful applicants receive an evaluation result letter, and unsuccessful applicants are placed on the reserve list or rejected.[1]

Indicative timetable

1. 1Call opening: 2 September 2026.[1][13]
2. 2Submission deadline: 1 December 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.[1][13]
3. 3Evaluation period: December 2026 to April 2027.[1]
4. 4Information on results and award: April to June 2027.[1]

Practical assessment for applicants

This is a non competitive project grant in the usual sense and instead a recognition prize, so applicants should not expect a project duration, reimbursement rate, or budget breakdown by eligible costs. The main value is the fixed cash prize, visibility, and credibility that come with ranking among the top three.[1]

The strongest applications will clearly show a breakthrough innovation, measurable impact, and a persuasive leadership story backed by evidence of the applicant’s role in the venture and connection to the EIT Community.[1]