The EmpoWomen Programme launched last month their 2nd Open Call for its transformative initiative, empowering women-led deep-tech startups across European emerging markets and associated countries.

The programme offers a unique opportunity for startups to receive tailored acceleration, mentoring, and non-repayable funding, services, and prizes totaling up to €1.125 million to support their growth.

From October 1 until December 2, 2024, the Open Call for Startups will be open, giving eligible* startups a chance to join the EmpoWomen programme. During the 2nd Open Call, 14 women-led deep-tech startups will be selected. 

All relevant documentation and submission forms are available on the official website. 

Highlights from the First Open Call

During the first Open Call, among the 170 applications, 11 women-led startups were selected to participate in the 1st edition of the EmpoWomen Programme:

• HUGUP (Poland): Revolutionising pregnancy wellness with advanced support wear, HUGUP enhances the journey of expecting mothers.
• IPLEXMED (Portugal): Offering portable genetic diagnostic devices, IPLEXMED ensures health support is accessible anytime, anywhere.
• Astroteq.ai (Poland): Using AI-driven earthquake forecasting, Astroteq.ai provides life-saving alerts before earthquakes.
• Heilo (Poland): Protecting babies from polluted air, Heilo has developed an air purifier for prams and strollers.
• GOTECH Antimicrobial (Portugal): Developing antimicrobial technologies to fight medical device infections, GOTECH is advancing healthcare outcomes.
• IQ Biozoom (Poland): Pioneering non-invasive diagnostic tests for personal health management, offering pain-free solutions.
• Pinky CyberSafe (Moldova): Enhancing cybersecurity awareness for SMEs with AI-driven solutions to fortify digital defences.
• INNOSENSUS (Lithuania): Offering a personal biosensor for gluten detection, INNOSENSUS empowers food sensitivity testing.
• GMZ Enerji Sistemleri (Turkey): Leading the charge in hydrogen energy solutions, driving the transition to sustainable energy.
• P-Agro Minerals (Latvia): Providing phosphorus recovery from wastewater, offering a sustainable fertiliser solution for agriculture.
• The Newsroom (Portugal): Tackling misinformation with AI-powered tools to foster informed news consumption and critical thinking.

These startups are currently participating in a tailored 6-month acceleration programme, curated by Startup Wise Guys and Business Angels Europe. Each company will receive up to €45,000 in equity-free funding, along with mentorship, resources, and access to a supportive community. The Demo Day for this first cohort will be held on November 19, 2024, as a side event at the prestigious SLUSH conference in Helsinki, Finland.

About the EmpoWomen Programme

EmpoWomen is a two-year initiative (2024-2025) designed to accelerate and support 25 women-led deep-tech companies from Europe’s emerging markets, outermost regions, and associated countries. It is designed to provide women entrepreneurs with resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities, and aims to break down barriers and create a more inclusive ecosystem for female-led businesses. 

The programme is led by four consortium partners – SPLORO, an innovation consultancy firm specialised in cascade funding mechanisms, TechUkraine, NGO and media platform bridging Ukraine’s tech-ecosystem with a world, Startup Wise Guys, a global startup accelerator, and Business Angels Europe, the European Confederation of Angel Investing. All together with 8 startup associations from the widening area will run this innovative programme.

*  Only companies legally established in Widening Area, Outermost regions, and Associated countries are eligible. Widening Area Countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. Outermost regions: Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Réunion, Martinique, Mayotte and Saint-Martin (France), Canary Islands (Spain). Associated countries: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, North Macedonia, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey and Ukraine.

For more information on eligibility and application guidelines, visit: https://empowomen.eu/ 

EmpoWomen has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement N° 101120693.

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