Horizon Europe: EU Prize for Women Innovators

The EU Prize for Women Innovators celebrates the women entrepreneurs behind game-changing innovations. In doing so, the EU seeks to raise awareness of the need for more female innovators, and create role models for women and girls everywhere.

The opportunities created by novel technologies and disruptive innovations promise to deliver the fair and sustainable recovery Europe needs. But Europe risks missing out on these opportunities if half its population is overlooked as a source of innovation and creative talent.

The prize is awarded to the most talented women entrepreneurs from across the EU and countries associated to Horizon Europe, who have founded a successful company and brought innovation to market. The prize is launched and managed by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency, and the winners are chosen by an independent expert jury.

In order to be eligible, all applicants must be: 

• a woman 
• an ordinary resident in an EU Member State (including overseas countries and territories, OCTs) or a country associated to Horizon Europe 
• founder or co-founder of an active innovative company registered at least two years before the submission deadline

In addition to the above, those applying for the Rising Innovator category must be aged 30 or younger at the start of the call year. There is no age limit to apply for the main category, though applicants eligible for both prize categories can only apply to one. In both categories, two or more female co-founders of a single company may submit a joint application, competing for one single prize.

The Prize is awarded to up to four women innovators in total (including one young 'Rising Innovator') who have created the largest impact on the innovation ecosystem by transforming ideas into new and advanced products and/or services for the benefit and wealth of European citizens.

Budget: Euro 350.000 

In the ‘Women Innovators’ main category, three prizes of EUR 100 000 each are awarded to the women who, in the opinion of the jury, have excelled in all award criteria and stood out amongst the other applicants.

In the second category, one prize of EUR 50 000 is awarded to a promising ‘Rising Innovator’ aged 30 or younger.

Call opening: 18 March 2021

Deadline for submission: 30 June 2021, 17:00 CET (Brussels)

The prizes will boost public awareness of the potential, importance and contribution of women to the innovation ecosystem, and create role models to inspire other women to become innovators themselves.