2025 European Prize for Women Innovators

The European Innovation Council (EIC) and European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) have launched the 2025 edition of the European Prize for Women Innovators. This joint initiative celebrates the outstanding achievements of women entrepreneurs driving positive change for people and the planet through their innovative ventures.

Prize categories

• EIC Women Innovators category: Open to women founders and co-founders from the EU and Associated Countries. Three prizes of EUR 100 000, EUR 70 000 and EUR 50 000 are awarded to the three highest-ranked applications.
• EIC Rising Innovators category: Targeting promising innovators under the age of 35. Three prizes of EUR 50 000, EUR 30 000 and EUR 20 000 are awarded to the three highest-ranked applications.
• EIT Women Leadership category: Focused on women with a direct link to the EIT Community. Three prizes of EUR 50 000, EUR 30 000 and EUR 20 000 are awarded to the three highest-ranked applications.

Application deadline: 25 September 2024 – 17:00 CET

Who can apply?

The applicant must be the founder or co-founder of the company or organisation.

This prize celebrates women in all their diversity. The word ‘woman’ equates to a cis woman, or a transgender woman who is legally defined as a woman.

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 [this includes the UK], and registered or incorporated at least two years before the call year (i.e. before 1 January 2022.

Applicants who have already received an EU or Euratom prize cannot receive a second
prize for the same activities.

In addition to the above, those applying for the Rising Innovators category must be aged
under 35 at the start of the call year. There is no age limit to apply for the Women Innovators category (or for the EIT Women Leadership category), though applicants eligible for several prize categories can only apply to one.

Those applying to the EIT category, must have a direct link to the EIT Community or to one of the existing Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs).