Rising Innovators category

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 coordination between the Agency and the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT). The winners are chosen by an independent expert jury. The prize has three categories, two funded by the EIC (the Women Innovators and the Rising Innovators categories) and one by the EIT (the EIT Women Leadership category). The Rules of Contest apply to both the EIC and EIT prize categories.

Scope:

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 coordination between the Agency and the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT). The winners are chosen by an independent expert jury. The prize has three categories, two funded by the EIC (the Women Innovators and the Rising Innovators categories) and one by the EIT (the EIT Women Leadership category). The Rules of Contest apply to both the EIC and EIT prize categories.

Part of call HORIZON-EIC-2026-PRIZE-WIP

Type of action: HORIZON Recognition Prize

Programme period: 2021 - 2027

"> 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 EI