EPIC-X Accelerator for Women-Led Deep-Tech Startups

An open call is available for the Acceleration+ Programme, an initiative designed to support and empower women-led deep-tech startups. The program aims to provide selected companies with financial grants, specialized coaching, and opportunities for collaboration and visibility across the European Union.

Program Overview and Benefits

Financial Support: A fixed, equity-free lump sum grant of €60,000 is available per selected project, with a total budget of €1,200,000 for the call. A minimum of €20,000 of the grant must be allocated to business coaching activities.
Acceleration+ Programme Components: The program includes an equity-free grant, 15-20 days of tailored business coaching with 10 follow-up sessions, monthly capacity-building sessions, and cross-fertilization activities.
Collaboration and Networking: Participants will engage in four cross-fertilization meetings (one in-person), visit a counterpart in another region, participate in six webinars, and co-organize a multiplier event.
Visibility: Startups will have the opportunity to attend and pitch at the EPIC-X Demo Day, gaining exposure to investors and industry stakeholders.

Participant Obligations

Coaching Attendance: Selected startups are required to attend 15-20 days of business coaching.
Session Attendance: Mandatory attendance is required for all support, follow-up, and capacity-building sessions.
Launch Event: Participants must attend the launching in-person cross-fertilization event.
Cross-Border Visit: A mandatory visit to a counterpart in another region is required to foster cross-border collaboration.
Multiplier Event: Co-organization of an online multiplier event to showcase results is mandatory.
Demo Day: Attendance at the Demo Day is also a requirement.

Eligibility Criteria

Company Status: Applicants must be a startup qualifying as an SME under EU Recommendation 2003/361/EC and founded before January 1, 2024.
Geographic Location: The startup must be established in one of the 16 moderate or emerging innovator countries as per the 2023 European Innovation Scoreboard: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, or Spain.
Leadership: At least one woman (cis or legally recognized transgender woman) must hold a founder or C-level position with a minimum of 25% ownership or equivalent decision-making power.
Business Plan: A business coaching plan must be submitted with the application.
Market Stage: The startup must have achieved market-product fit or have raised at least a seed round. This typically corresponds to a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) between 6 and 8.
Financial Standing: Applicants must not be under liquidation or in difficulty according to Commission Regulation No 651/2014, art. 2.182, or be excluded from obtaining EU funding.
Unbiased Mission: Applicants must demonstrate how their innovation addresses gender equality barriers and avoids perpetuating biases.

Application Process and Required Documents

Submission Platform: All applications must be submitted through the EU Survey platform. Email or paper submissions will not be accepted.
Language: All application materials and communications must be in English.
Required Materials: A complete application includes the application form (with a 2-minute pitch video and annexes), a Legal Entity Form with supporting documents, a Women’s leadership declaration, a business coaching plan, market fit or investment documents, and a Declaration of Honour.
Saving Progress: Applicants can save a draft of their application and return to it later using a personalized link generated by the platform.
Submission Confirmation: A confirmation message with a unique contribution ID and a PDF copy of the form will appear on-screen upon successful submission.
Finality of Submission: Applications cannot be edited after they have been submitted.
File Uploads: For files exceeding the size limit, a Word document containing a non-expiring, open-access shareable link to the file should be uploaded instead. The pitch video link should be inserted into the designated field in the application form.

Program Timeline

Call Launch: November 3, 2025
Application Deadline: January 5, 2026, at 17:00 CET
Evaluation Period: January 6 – February 27, 2026
Notification of Results: March 6, 2026
Contract Signing: March 2026
Acceleration+ Programme Implementation: April 1 – September 30, 2026

Evaluation, Selection, and Grant Disbursement

Evaluation Process: A two-stage process includes a relevancy pre-screening followed by a full evaluation based on excellence and innovation, impact and market potential, and feasibility and capacity. A minimum score of 50 points is required.
Selection: Selected applicants will be invited to sign a Sub-Grant Agreement in March 2026.
Payment Scheme: The grant is paid in three installments: 40% after signing the contract, 40% after a mid-term progress report, and the final 20% upon approval of the final report.

Information Sessions and Contact

Info Session #1: November 17, 2025, from 11:00 – 12:00 CET
Info Session #2: December 4, 2025, from 11:00 – 12:00 CET
Info Session #3: December 15, 2025, from 12:00 – 13:00 CET
Contact: For further questions, the EPIC-X team can be reached at general@epic-x.eu.
Data Protection: All personal data is handled in compliance with GDPR (2016/679/EU), ensuring privacy and confidentiality.

Women-led deep-tech startups that meet the specified criteria are encouraged to explore the EPIC-X Open Call for comprehensive guidelines and details on the application procedure.