EIC and EIT Supernovas call for women-led startups to join Rocket up for EU market expansion
- ›The European Innovation Council in partnership with the EIT Community Supernovas offers a Rocket up programme for women founders to scale into another EU market.
- ›Seven places are reserved for EIC Community members with applications open until 30 January 2026 at 18:00 CET.
- ›The programme runs April to November 2026 in two phases combining online group sessions, 1:1 mentoring and a final in-person day in Helsinki before Slush.
- ›Eligible startups must be women-led, incorporated after 31 December 2016, have 5 to 30 FTE, sector focus in specified areas and show product market fit including at least EUR 100k revenue in 2025.
- ›Participants receive mentoring, tickets to Slush and curated regional expertise but cohort size is small and practical costs and selection details are not fully specified.
EIC invites women founders to Rocket up to plan EU market entry
The European Innovation Council is inviting women founders and women chief executives from the EIC Community to apply for Rocket up. Delivered in partnership with the EIT Community Supernovas, the initiative offers seven places for women-led startups to build a tailored internationalisation strategy for entering a target market within the European Union. The application deadline is 30 January 2026 at 18:00 CET.
Programme at a glance
Rocket up is a seven month programme running between April and November 2026. It combines structured online group sessions with 1:1 mentoring from business mentors and regional experts. The programme is split into two phases. The final session is held in person in Helsinki on the day before Slush and each participating startup receives a ticket to attend Slush as part of the package.
| Component | Timing | Focus |
| Phase I | April to July 2026 | Market selection, success factors, market attractiveness metrics, market validation, local business culture, risk evaluation, localisation of value proposition |
| Phase II | September to November 2026 | Operational market entry planning including communications localisation, sales and marketing, partnerships, talent recruitment, legal implications, expansion fundraising and final go to market strategy |
| Final in-person session | Day before Slush 2026 | Presentation and wrap up in Helsinki plus Slush ticket for visibility and networking |
What the programme offers
Participants will access tailored mentoring and expert guidance focused on international expansion. Delivery is predominantly online and includes group sessions with a structured framework for cross border scale up and 1:1 online mentoring with both business mentors and regional experts. The in-person component is limited to the final session in Helsinki and a ticket to the Slush startup conference is provided to each participating startup.
Who can apply
The call targets women-led startups from the EIC Community that are ready to scale beyond their home markets. The programme limits participation to firms meeting specific organisational, temporal and commercial criteria.
| Eligibility criterion | Requirement |
| Leadership | Company must have a woman founder or a woman CEO leading the team |
| Team size | Around 5 to 30 full time equivalents |
| Company age | Incorporated after 31 December 2016 |
| Sector focus | Mobility, Food, Manufacturing, Climate, Digital, Culture and Creativity, Energy. Health is explicitly excluded |
| Market readiness | Commercially active with product market fit in home market and at least EUR 100k in revenue in 2025 or equivalent demonstrable revenue traction |
| Registration | Company registered and operating in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated country |
| Community | Applicants must be part of the EIC Community |
Application logistics and contacts
Applications were open through the EIT Community Supernovas portal with a stated deadline of 30 January 2026 at 18:00 CET. The open call specifically allocates space for seven women founders or CEOs drawn from the EIC Community. Contact points listed in the call include kirra.pickering@eitcommunity.eu for questions about the open calls and supernovas@eitcommunity.eu for general Supernovas enquiries.
Context and practical considerations
The partnership between the European Innovation Council and the EIT Community Supernovas bundles two familiar EU innovation actors. The EIC is the Commission's instrument for high potential deep tech ventures and the Supernovas initiative is an EIT Community effort to support underrepresented founders. Combined the offer is intended to accelerate international expansion for a small cohort of women led startups that have already validated demand at home.
There are several practical points to note for prospective applicants. The cohort is very small with only seven places reserved for EIC Community members. That limits reach and makes selection competitive. The revenue threshold of at least EUR 100k in 2025 aims to ensure participants have commercial traction but it will exclude earlier stage firms that may otherwise benefit from market entry support. The sector exclusions and requirement to be registered in an EU or associated country further narrow eligibility. The call text does not clarify whether travel or accommodation for the Helsinki session is funded. Applicants should confirm cost coverage and selection criteria scoring before applying.
Critical perspective
Programmes like Rocket up are useful for targeted support but their impact depends on scale, follow up and the depth of market integration the mentoring and regional expertise produce. Seven spots will help those selected but will not materially change broader access gaps for women entrepreneurs across Europe. The eligibility filters also bias towards ventures that are already commercially active and connected to EU innovation networks. Prospective applicants and stakeholders should seek clarity on selection methodology, costs covered and post programme follow up if they are assessing the value proposition of participation.
How to proceed if you are interested
If you meet the eligibility criteria and are an EIC Community member with ambitions to scale into a new EU market, review the call guidelines on the Supernovas portal, confirm any outstanding logistical questions with the contacts provided and submit your application before 30 January 2026 at 18:00 CET. Given the small number of places, prepare clear evidence of product market fit and revenue traction and be ready to explain your target market choice and execution plan.