Women-led startups, this one’s for you! WE-RISE’s 1st open call offers up to €55K to boost innovation & sustainability in emerging regions. Apply by May 14, 2025!
About WE-RISE Open Call
The WE-RISE first Open Call is an initiative under the Horizon Europe programme that seeks to empower women-led startups in the Greentech, AgriTech and ClimateTech sectors. With a total budget of €600,000, the programme will select up to 20 startups to participate in a two-phase support programme, with a 7-month duration:
Phase 1- Nurture: Cultivating Strategy & Empowerment (3 months)- 20 startups:
In this phase, startups will develop a Strategic Action Plan (SAP) while receiving:
- A €5,000 grant to cover travel expenses for participating in exhibitions, fairs and investor meetings
- Personalised business coaching
- Hands-on training workshops (e.g., market expansion, investment readiness)
- Access to a Learning Nuggets library for on-demand learning
- Peer learning through structured roundtables and review sessions
Phase 2- Bloom: from Strategy to Acceleration (4 months)- 10 startups
The top 10 startups from Phase 1 will advance to the acceleration stage, receiving:
- A €50,000 grant to implement their SAPs
- 1:1 targeted coaching and strategic refinement
- Advanced workshops with Industry experts and fireside chats
- Investor matchmaking and fundraising support
- Participation in a demo day to pitch to investors, corporates, and ecosystem stakeholders
Why Apply to WE-RISE Open Call?
Applicants will have the opportunity to gain:
- Financial support to grow with up to €55,000 in grants covering investor meetings, market expansion, and product development
- Tailored coaching & mentorship from industry experts and investors to refine and strengthen their business model strategy
- Direct access to a curated network of investors, corporates, and public sector stakeholders through investor & corporate matchmaking
- Access to specialised training & workshops on fundraising, market positioning, revenue models, and compliance, among others
- Visibility and market access through high-impact networking and demo day pitching opportunities
- A supportive community with a dynamic and collaborative startup ecosystem
Who Can Apply?
WE-RISE targets deep tech, women-led startups active in the cleantech sectors (GreenTech, AgriTech, and ClimateTech), with a strong emphasis on those based in moderate and emerging innovator countries as defined by the EU Innovation Scoreboard. Eligible applicants include:
- Be women-led startups or SMEs with at least one woman in a leadership role
- Be legally registered in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe-associated country
- Demonstrate innovation and business maturity, preferably with market-product fit or having raised at least a seed round of financing
- Have been founded before 1st January 2024
Priority will be given to startups from the following countries:
Moderate/emerging innovators, including widening countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Italy.
How to Apply to WE-RISE Open Call
The application process takes place fully online through this link and includes the following steps:
- Create a profile on EuroQuity
- Access the GREENHOUSE Community, where the application process is managed
- Fill out the Online Application Form for Phase 1 and provide the following information:
- Information about the organisation (name, contact, address, PIC number, etc.)
- Summary of the project
- Goals (clear, measurable, aligned with vision)
- Current stage of the startup (e.g., product-market-fit, seed)
- Finance (last funding round and year)
- The problem/market opportunity addressed
- Excellence and innovation (solution, IP, scalability, novelty)
- Market and competition analysis (context, competitors, strategy)
- Impact (societal, environmental, climate, SDGs, EU policy)
- Company, team, and management details (experience, skills, complementarity)
- Pitch deck (including company overview, business model, market, team, and financials)
- Complete the Investment Readiness Level (IRL) Self-assessment, which involves assigning a score (1–5) across key development areas through a quantitative online questionnaire.
Proposal Requirements for WE-RISE Open Call
Projects should focus on research activities that exploit or foster the adoption of FAIR data, strengthen FAIR competences, practices, and technologies. Projects can involve developing or making available services or tools (software, hardware, middleware, protocols, standards, benchmarks, documentation, training/mentoring materials) that enable Open Research and encourage open science practices based on FAIR principles.
The calls are open to proposals responding to Open Science / Data FAIRNESS challenge(s) in the domains and the type of challenge indicated below. Multiple choices are allowed.
- Domains: (1) Astrophysics, cosmology, particle or nuclear physics; (2) Social sciences and humanities; (3) Photon/neutron sources-based experimental research; (4) Life sciences: (5) Earth and environmental sciences; or (6) other (specify).
- Type of challenge: (1) Open Science Project; (2) Open Science Service; (3) Industry cooperation; (4) Citizen science; (5) Main RI concerned; (6) Cross-domain/ Cross-RI; (7) Other (specify)
Proposals should clearly articulate the project’s objectives, expected impacts, and alignment with FAIR data principles.
Evaluation and Selection Process for WE-RISE Open Call
Applicants for the WE-RISE Phase 1 will be evaluated by two evaluators within the Evaluation Committee based on the following criteria (each scored from 1 to 5, with all categories weighing the same):
- Alignment to WE-RISE objectives: Applicants must demonstrate a clear alignment with the WE-RISE goals and overall project mission.
- Review of the application form focusing on:
- Team: Core team composition, skills, experience, and complementarity, including Advisory Board members
- Excellence/Innovation: Innovation needs, novelty, scalability, technology readiness, and IP protection
- Impact: Market sizing, competition, contribution to EU goals, and scalability
- Review of the IRL Assessment: Evidence and reasoning for the self-assessed Investment Readiness level
In addition, the evaluation criteria are complemented by the following transversal criteria:
- 100% of the selected startups must be women-led
- At least 60% of the selected startups must be established in emerging/moderate innovator countries
In addition, following the development of the Strategic Action Plans, Phase 2 applications will be assessed using:
- Alignment to WE-RISE objectives
- Comprehensiveness and coherence of SAP: The startup’s ability to present a robust, synergistic roadmap with clearly defined KPIS and implementation plans. Examples of strong KPIS include closing investment deals (+100k), securing major partnerships, or achieving tangible business development goals
Additional Support Beyond Funding
Selected startups will also benefit from:
- Personalised coaching and advisory services
- Access to the WE-RISE Greenhouse ecosystem
- Showcasing opportunities at international events
- Networking with investors, corporates, and public actors
Important Dates
- Submission Deadline: 14/05/2025, 23:59 CET
Full guidelines are available at the following link.
Final Thoughts on WE-RISE Open Call
The WE-RISE 1st Open Call offers more than just funding. It offers the opportunity to participate in a well-structured journey of growth, visibility, and strategic development for women-led startups in GreenTech, AgriTech, and ClimateTech. By blending financial support with expert mentorship, investor access, and a vibrant community, WE-RISE provides an excellent opportunity for startups ready to scale their impact across Europe.
Don’t miss the opportunity to become part of a supportive and purpose-driven ecosystem that is shaping the future of green innovation in Europe.
More Information
WE-RISE is coordinated by Fast Track Ventures, with key partners including G-Force, BPI France, Toro Ventures, and Sunrise Tech Park. Together, these organisations bring deep expertise in entrepreneurship, investment, innovation, and acceleration.
The programme focuses on inclusivity, sustainability, and entrepreneurship, aiming to support and elevate female-led startups in the cleantech sectors across Europe.
For more information:
- Project website: https://www.we-rise.eu/
- Open Call details: Open Call page
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