Rising Innovators category
European Commission · Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)
Posted 2 Sept 2026 · About 2 months left
Summary
Expected Impact:
The prize will boost public awareness of the potential, importance and contribution of women to the EU innovation ecosystem and create strong role models, inspiring more women to become innovators themselves.
Expected Outcome:
The prize will boost public awareness of the potential, importance and contribution of women to the EU innovation ecosystem and create strong role models, inspiring more women to become innovators themselves.
Objective:
The European Prize for Women Innovators celebrates the women entrepreneurs behind Europe’s game-changing innovations, so that they may inspire other women and girls realise their full potential as the EU’s future scientists, innovators, and tech leaders.
This prize supports a culture within research and innovation organisations and companies allowing women to become the innovators and entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
The prize is awarded every year to women from across the EU and countries associated to Horizon Europe, who have transformed their ideas into disruptive innovations to benefit people and the planet and who are inspiring leaders.
As for the previous edition, the 2027 European Prize for Women Innovators is organised in…
Excerpt from the donor's page. The full text, annexes and forms are on the original call.
Eligibility and conditions
Show the eligibility text from the source
">General conditions
1. Admissibility conditions: Proposal page limit and layout
described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
2. Eligible countries
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
3. Other Eligibility Conditions
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
In order to be eligible, the applicants must:
be a woman
apply as a natural person;
be legally residing in an EU Member State, including overseas countries and territories (OCTs) or a country associated to Horizon Europe;
be the founder or co-founder of the company or organisation;
the company or organisation must be established in an EU Member State including overseas countries and territories, (OCTs) or a country associated to Horizon Europe, and registered or incorporated at least one year before the call year;
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.
Applicants to the EIT category must have a direct link to the EIT Community.
Applicants are expected to provide proof of eligibility upon request.
Applicants eligible for several prize categories can only apply to one. In the case of applications submitted under multiple categories, only the latest application will be considered, and all other applications will be rejected as ineligible.
Joint applications by a group of applicants are not accepted and will be rejected as ineligible. Applicants from the same organisation must apply separately.
Applicants must register in the Participant Register — before the call deadline — and will have to 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.
Before applying, please read carefully the Rules of Contest.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion
described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds
described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
If admissible and eligible, the applications will be evaluated and ranked against the following award criteria:
Award criterion 1: Breakthrough innovation – the company or organisation founded or cofounded by the applicant is developing a breakthrough innovation focusing, among others, on Deep-tech and Science Technology Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) fields. In presenting their innovation, the applicant should demonstrate what makes this innovation breakthrough in relation to other existing solutions.
Award criterion 2: 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 organisation’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.
Award criterion 3: Inspiration – the applicant is an inspiring leader, who has played a pivotal role in the success of the company or organisation and is a role model empowering other women and girls in realising their full potential. The applicant should, for example, highlight her efforts to promote gender balance within the company, organisation 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…