European Prize for Women Innovators 2025 is open for applications

The European Innovation Council and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology launched the 2025 edition of the European Prize for Women Innovators on 27 June 2024. The annual prize recognises women founders and co-founders whose ventures claim to deliver breakthrough and market relevant innovations. The award is presented across three categories with cash prizes and public visibility intended to promote role models and encourage more women to scale technology and innovation ventures.

What is on offer and how the prize is organised

The 2025 edition continues the joint EIC and EIT approach used in previous years. There are three separate prize tracks. Two are managed and funded through the European Innovation Council and its implementing agency while the EIT funds and manages its Women Leadership category. The prize structure is modest by venture funding standards but is primarily designed for recognition and publicity as much as direct financial support.

Eligibility, submission requirements and technical steps

Applications must be submitted electronically through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The rules are specific about who can apply and what must be provided. The core eligibility conditions are focused on natural persons who are women and who are founders or co-founders of companies registered in EU Member States or in countries associated to Horizon Europe. The company must have been incorporated at least two years before the call year, which means before 1 January 2022 for this edition.

Evaluation, scoring and checks

The evaluation is carried out by independent expert juries. If there are more than 500 applications in a category a pre-selection panel will reduce the pool to the top 500. The retained applications are ranked against three award criteria and may be invited to a jury interview. The process includes mandatory integrity and compliance checks before the award is confirmed.

Timetable and practical deadlines

Context, expected impact and a measured critique

The prize aims to elevate the visibility of successful women entrepreneurs in Europe and to provide role models that encourage more women and girls to enter STEM and entrepreneurship. The EIC and EIT are visible actors in EU innovation policy and their branding helps winners increase exposure to investors and partners. The awards sit within broader EU commitments such as the Gender Equality Strategy 2020 to 2025 and the New European Innovation Agenda.

However, visibility prizes have limits. The amounts offered are helpful but modest compared with the funding gap that women founders routinely face. Public recognition helps but does not directly address longer term constraints such as venture capital access, biased networks and structural procurement barriers. There is a risk that prizes privilege ventures that are already visible and investor ready, rather than those in earlier or less networked stages. The organisers acknowledge these limits by pairing the prize with other EIC services and signposting to National Contact Points, yet the prize should be seen as one instrument within a broader policy mix rather than a systemic fix.

Other practical questions remain. How evenly distributed will winners be by country and sector? Will juries mitigate unconscious bias in selection? The rules reference mandatory checks and independent juries, but measurement and public reporting on follow up outcomes for winners and wider cohorts would help judge whether the prize contributes to sustained changes for women entrepreneurs in Europe.

Who won last time and what to learn from them

The 2023-24 edition spotlighted women across health, deep tech and circular economy. Notable winners included Rana Sanyal of RS Research developing targeted nanomedicines, Elena García Armada of Marsi Bionics designing paediatric exoskeletons, and María González Manso of tucuvi using empathetic AI for automated post-visit follow up in healthcare. These winners illustrate that committees reward work that combines technical novelty, social impact and clear leadership. Applicants should present concrete metrics of impact alongside technology differentiation and leadership practices that encourage diversity.

Practical advice for applicants

If you are considering an application, plan early and be strategic about what the jury will value. The rules prioritise 'breakthrough innovation', measurable 'impact' and 'inspiration' as a leader. Demonstrate these elements succinctly within Part B and rehearse the 90 second video so it clearly conveys the innovation, your role and a human narrative.

Definitions and key terms

Contact points and where to apply

Submit applications via the Funding & Tenders Portal topic pages for each prize category. The portal contains the call documentation, rules of contest and the online submission form. If you have non-IT related questions about the Women Innovators or Rising Innovators categories contact EISMEA. If your question is about the EIT Women Leadership awards contact the EIT.

Last practical reminder. Read the Rules of Contest and the Funding & Tenders Portal online manual carefully. Prizes can amplify visibility and unlock conversations with investors and partners but should be combined with long term support, access to finance and ecosystem development to produce sustained change for women entrepreneurs across Europe.