Women TechEU: EU pilot to coach and fund women-led deep tech start-ups, with call for mentors
- ›The European Commission launched Women TechEU on 8 March 2021 to support women leading deep tech start-ups through coaching, mentoring and targeted funding.
- ›The initiative is a pilot under the European Innovation Ecosystems work programme of Horizon Europe and is part of the EIC Women Leadership Programme.
- ›A call for mentors opened alongside the initiative seeking experienced entrepreneurs, investors, tech experts, researchers and leaders of both genders.
- ›The pilot will start at the European Research and Innovation Days on 23-24 June 2021 and aims to support a first cohort of up to 50 deep tech start-ups from EU Member States and Associated Countries.
- ›The Commission highlights structural barriers for women in deep tech but has not published detailed funding amounts or selection criteria for the pilot.
EU launches Women TechEU pilot to boost women-led deep tech start-ups
On International Women’s Day 2021 the European Commission announced a new initiative called Women TechEU. The pilot aims to identify and support women who are founders or CEOs of deep tech start-ups in Europe with a mix of coaching, mentoring and targeted funding. The programme is placed under the European Innovation Ecosystems work programme of Horizon Europe and forms part of the European Innovation Council's Women Leadership Programme.
What the Commission announced and who it is asking for
Commissioner Mariya Gabriel said the initiative is intended to increase the number of women-led tech start-ups and women in senior tech positions. At the launch the Commission opened a call for mentors to coach the founders selected for Women TechEU. The call for mentors is part of the EIC Women Leadership Programme and looks for women and men in leadership positions, experienced entrepreneurs, investors, technology experts, researchers and innovators.
| Item | Detail |
| Announcement date | 8 March 2021 (International Women’s Day) |
| Pilot launch event | European Research and Innovation Days, 23-24 June 2021 |
| Cohort size | Up to 50 deep tech start-ups |
| Geographic scope | EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries |
| Programme umbrella | European Innovation Ecosystems work programme, Horizon Europe |
| Related programme | European Innovation Council (EIC) Women Leadership Programme |
| Call for mentors | Open to men and women leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, tech experts, researchers and innovators |
| Funding amount | Not specified in the launch announcement |
Why deep tech and why target women founders
The Commission emphasised deep tech because these companies are rooted in scientific and engineering advances, often with long research and development cycles and capital intensive paths to market. According to the announcement deep tech accounts for more than a quarter of Europe’s start-up ecosystem and the combined valuation of European deep tech companies was reported as approximately 700 billion euros at the time.
The Commission framed the initiative against persistent underrepresentation of women in the sector. It highlighted that women in deep tech face additional hurdles linked to gender bias and stereotypes particularly visible in technology domains. The policy intent aligns with the Commission’s broader Union of Equality priorities to promote gender equality across public life and the research and innovation ecosystem.
How Women TechEU fits into EU innovation funding
At the time of the announcement the Commission did not provide detailed budgets attached to the pilot nor a public description of the selection criteria beyond the sector and gender focus. The initiative therefore reads as a targeted support layer within EIC activities rather than a new, large funding window by itself.
What is promising and what is missing
Targeted mentoring and coaching can help founders improve technical roadmaps, commercial plans and investor readiness. Bringing experienced investors and entrepreneurs into contact with women-led teams is likely to be beneficial. Positioning the pilot inside EIC channels gives it proximity to existing evaluation and acceleration infrastructure.
But mentoring and small-scale support alone will not solve structural problems. Deep tech companies need patient capital, industrial partnerships, and access to specialised facilities. Investors across Europe have lower representation of women in decision making roles. The announcement did not disclose how the pilot will measure outcomes, how funding will be allocated, or how it will address regional imbalances and persistent investment gaps.
Context and implications for EU innovation policy
Women TechEU sits within a broader shift in EU policy to close gender gaps in research and innovation. Pilots like this are politically visible ways of addressing underrepresentation. If well resourced and transparently evaluated the initiative could produce useful lessons on how to combine advisory support and finance to raise the success rate of women-led deep tech ventures.
For stakeholders and observers the priorities are to ensure the pilot is backed by measurable commitments, clear selection and monitoring procedures, and routes to scale for successful entrepreneurs. Publicly reporting cohort outcomes, investor follow on, and regional distribution will be necessary to assess whether the initiative moves beyond symbolic action.
Recommendations and what to watch next
Watch the European Research and Innovation Days in June 2021 for details on the pilot roll out and for the first cohort announcement. Check whether the Commission publishes the budget envelope, selection methodology and monitoring indicators. Expect calls for mentors to clarify role descriptions and conflict of interest rules. Stakeholders should push for public reporting on the pilot's impact on fundraising outcomes for the supported startups.
Long term impact will depend on whether Women TechEU is integrated with broader measures to close the funding and network gaps that disproportionately affect women entrepreneurs in deep tech.