Open Calls

Women-Led Deep-Tech Startups Eligible For New €12 Million Women TechEU Fund

by News Editor

June 11, 2026

Overview

Women TechEU 2 EIC has opened the Eligibility Strand of its new call, the first step in a two-stage process for women-led early-stage deep-tech startups seeking support through the programme. The initiative will support 160 women entrepreneurs from the European Union and Horizon Europe associated countries, with each selected startup receiving a €75,000 non-dilutive grant and access to a personalised business development programme.

In total, Women TechEU will award €12 million in non-dilutive funding through an open call with 4 funding deadlines. For each funding deadline, 40% of the funding will be allocated to startups from widening regions, a category that includes Cyprus.

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Benefits

Startups selected after the full application process will receive:

€75,000 in non-dilutive funding
A six-month personalised business development programme
Access to business development services
One-to-one mentoring with an expert
Support to prepare for future funding opportunities, including the EIC Accelerator and Pre-Accelerator programmes

The six-month support programme will be co-designed by the selected entrepreneurs and the programme team, with individual development KPIs set for each startup.

Who Can Apply

The call targets women-led early-stage deep-tech startups established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe associated country. Cyprus is listed both as an eligible EU country and as one of the widening EU Member States.

To qualify as women-led, at least one woman founder or co-founder must currently hold a top management position, such as CEO, CTO, CSO, or equivalent, and women must own at least 25% of the company’s shares at the time of submission. The woman founder or co-founder must actively participate in the programme if selected.

Criteria

Eligible startups must:

Be legally registered for at least six months and not more than five years at the relevant eligibility cut-off date
Qualify as an SME
Have raised less than €1 million in equity
Be developing a technology innovation between TRL 4 and TRL 6
Be working in deep tech, meaning innovation grounded in substantial scientific or engineering advances, not simply the use or adaptation of standard technologies

The guidelines list deep-tech fields including advanced connectivity, navigation, and digital technologies; advanced materials, manufacturing, and recycling technologies; advanced sensing technologies; AI technologies; biotechnologies; energy technologies; quantum technologies; robotics and autonomous systems; and space and propulsion technologies.

For AI-based startups, the programme makes clear that applicants must have passed the earliest development stages. Companies still at concept development, dataset collection, or algorithm development stage are considered too early; eligible AI startups should be at more advanced stages, such as AI model development, training, testing, or refinement.

Applicants must also ensure that the same proposal, or any part of it, has not previously benefited from earlier Women TechEU initiatives or the EIC Accelerator, to avoid double funding. Women TechEU 2 EIC consortium partners, their affiliated entities, employees, and subcontractors are not eligible to apply.

How To Apply

Applications are submitted through the Sploro online platform, accessible via the Women TechEU website. The current stage is the Eligibility Strand: applicants must first verify their eligibility and, if validated, will be invited to submit a Full Proposal.

Key dates:

Eligibility Strand opens: 1 June 2026
First cut-off: 30 June 2026, 17:00 CEST
Weekly cut-offs: every Tuesday at 17:00 CE(S)T / Brussels time
Final cut-off: 13 July 2027, 17:00 CEST

Applications must be submitted in English. Only submissions made directly through the official online platform will be considered. Eligibility results will be sent through the Sploro Platform no later than one week after the relevant cut-off.

Applicants are advised to review the guidelines and open call documents carefully and, where possible, attend one of the programme’s online InfoDays. The guidelines also recommend submitting at least two days before the relevant cut-off to avoid last-minute technical issues.

About The Programme

Women TechEU 2 EIC is an EU-funded initiative designed to support women founders leading early-stage deep-tech startups across Europe. The programme combines non-dilutive funding, mentoring, business development support and access to wider innovation networks, with a particular focus on improving access for startups from less-connected and widening innovation ecosystems.

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Keve To Host Round Table On Working Carers And New Care Subsidy Scheme In Nicosia

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 21, 2026

The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve) will bring together policymakers, employers and social partners in Nicosia on September 29, 2026, for a round-table discussion on one of the workplace’s most pressing but often overlooked challenges: how employees with care responsibilities can remain fully engaged in work while supporting a family member in need.

A Growing Workplace Priority

The discussion will focus on workers who care for an elderly relative, a person with a disability or another family member requiring assistance. As populations age and care needs rise, the pressure on employees to balance professional obligations with informal caregiving is becoming a significant issue for businesses, public authorities and society at large.

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For employers, the question is no longer whether care responsibilities affect the workplace, but how to respond in a way that supports retention, productivity and employee wellbeing.

What The Event Will Cover

Organised as part of Keve’s participation in the European CareDivide project, the round table will provide a forum for information-sharing, discussion and the exchange of practical experience on the realities facing working carers.

A key theme will be the need for a better balance between professional and personal life for employees who provide unpaid care. The event will also examine how employers, public authorities and other relevant organisations can better address the needs of this workforce segment.

Care Subsidy Scheme To Be Presented

Phanos Kouroufexis, senior officer at the Welfare Benefits Administration Service of the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, will present the Care Services Subsidy Scheme during the session.

His remarks will outline the support available to people who require care, their families and informal carers. The presentation will be followed by an open discussion and question-and-answer session, allowing participants to raise practical concerns and learn more about available forms of support.

Policy Ideas And Workplace Solutions

The round table will also present policy proposals developed through the CareDivide project and explore concrete ways in which businesses, public administration and social partners can help create more accommodating workplaces for employees with care responsibilities.

That includes approaches that can reduce the strain on workers who must navigate deadlines, schedules and family care obligations simultaneously—an issue that can affect attendance, engagement and long-term labour market participation.

Who Should Attend

The event is aimed at employers, human resources professionals, policymakers, public authorities, social partners, non-governmental organisations and researchers, as well as anyone with an interest in employment, equality and care.

Participation is free. Keve said the session is intended to encourage the exchange of information and practical approaches that could contribute to a more supportive working environment.

Event Details

The discussion will be held in Greek on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Keve building in Nicosia.

Interested participants can register through this registration link until September 25, 2026.

Keve is part of the consortium behind the CareDivide project, which is co-funded by the European Union through the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme. The initiative is being implemented in Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Romania and Spain.

The broader significance is clear: workers who provide informal care are increasingly central to the conversation about labour force participation, workplace flexibility and social support. As care demands grow, the ability to combine employment with caregiving will remain a practical test for both employers and policymakers.